The Girl Who Didn't Make Sense
by FallOutGrl02
Summary: How could he resist? The relationship between Amy and the Doctor seems to be friendship to those around them, but it's always been more. It's been more since the day that blue box crashed into Amelia Pond's garden when she was 7.  Major spoilers!
1. His Fiery Redhead

**This is my first story! So, it might suck a little ^_^ I don't really know what it's gonna be exactly. Maybe a full length story... Maybe just some random drabbles. Reviews would rock my socks! So... Yeah. Enjoy!**

It was fear. Definitely fear. That's what was in the pit of his stomach, what was making his sweaty hands shake at the thought of Amy Pond kissing him inside her bedroom. The Doctor's head was swimming with different emotions, all of them whirling about trying to click and make sense of the situation. _No. It meant nothing_, he thought, _She was just scared. I was just scared. Yes, that's it._

Actually admitting that there was more frightened the Doctor, so he suppressed them. She couldn't be another Rose, another Martha, or any of the other dozens of women that the Doctor had left waiting, disappointed and crushed all across the universe. Amy Pond, his impossible, magnificent Amy Pond was different. And she was going to stay that way.

"Doctor," a voice rang out from one of the many halls of the TARDIS, "Doctor?"

"In the console room, Amy" he called, leaning against the controls. What was he going to do with that fiery redhead? He tried to compose himself, straightening his bow-tie and drying his hands on his trousers. Then he saw Amy walk gracefully towards him. His two hearts started to beat rapidly, the memory of what had happened just hours ago fresh in his mind, replaying itself in his head.

She was dressed in her red sweater still, the same clothing she had worn down in the Byzantium. The Doctor still found it unbelievable that the little girl, the girl who waited, had turned into such a headstrong woman. Then again, she was always so brave, always so independent. Maybe that was why he liked her so much. Amy could take care of herself, and was much less of a damsel-in-distress that the Doctor usually found himself associating with.

"Hi," she smiled, running her manicured hand through her glossy, red locks. The Doctor loved her hair. His strong-willed ginger… Though at this point, she looked slightly nervous, shifting her weight awkwardly. "I- I just wanted to say" she began, nervously, "I'm sorry. For attacking you. I don't know what came over me."

"It's quite alright, Pond," the Doctor replied with an easy smile, one that eased Amy Pond every time. But it wasn't alright. That kiss was messing with his head, his emotions, and his goal. Rose was going to be the last girl he _ever _got that close to. Except for River, of course, but he still wasn't sure about her. "You almost died out there in today," he said, relaying his theory, "Just a combination of near-death experience and cold feet, I'm sure."

"Yeah, you're probably right," she sighed. The Doctor turned around to the controls, pretending to be busy. He couldn't look at her, couldn't compose his face to be happy. _Don't feel so disappointed_, he scolded himself, _This is good. She has Beak Nose. She's getting married to him. And… You have River… I think._

"Where are we headed to?" Amy asked, curiously, trying to take a peek at what the Doctor was doing. That man in the bow-tie confused her immensely; yet she still felt like brushing her lips against his, running her fingers through the dark tresses of his hair.

"I have some business to take care of on Earth," he explained, vaguely. As usual, the Doctor had devised a last minute plan. He knew three things for sure: Amy was uncontrollable; it _had _been awhile for him, and the Doctor missed that sort of contact with another person; and, thirdly, Amy was a great kisser. If the Doctor could choose anyone to kiss right at that time, it'd be her. Her days as a kiss-o-gram had taught her a few things that even the Doctor wasn't familiar with after 907 years of life.

"Business?" Amy pressed, "Sounds suspicious."

"I'll only be gone a few moments," he smiled, as the familiar sound of the TARDIS landing resonated through his ear, "An hour tops."

She crossed her arms, "And what about me? I just sit here and wait for you to come back? Sounds a bit boring, Doctor."

"You waited fourteen years for me. I'm sure you can handle an hour." As he turned to the door, the Doctor winced at the pang of guilt he felt being shared by his hearts. He'd ruined her childhood. Maybe she wasn't so different from the others? He'd messed them all up in their own special ways. Maybe Amy wasn't so special after all.

"Doctor, please!" she begged, going to the last resort: the puppy face. The Doctor could never resist that face. Except for this time.

"I'll be back."

"You always say that!" she cried.

"I _always_ come back," the Doctor promised.

With that, the blue TARDIS door shut behind him and the Doctor began walking down the tiny, little road through Leadworth, to the one person who could stop any chance of Amy and the Doctor getting complicated: Beak Face. _Please don't make me regret this_, the Doctor thought to himself. If he was being honest, he'd realize that he already was.


	2. Mixed Signals

**So, this takes place after "Vampires In Venice." I decided that the whole "I've seen your dreams, Amy. Blah Blah Blah" deserved a little back story or something. I mean, the Dream Lord is the Doctor... So wouldn't the Doctor have seen it? Anyways, yeah. Again, I like reviews. They make me warm inside... Actually, that's a lie because I have yet to receive one. But that's probably due to me only posting my first two chapters in like... 2 hours. Or maybe no one loves me. That could be it, too. Oh, geez. And I forgot you weren't here to listen to my commentary. Sorry! Enjoy!**

The Doctor honestly couldn't tell if his plan to get Amy back with Rory was working or not. And he couldn't decide which one he'd be happier with. Amy was giving mixed signals, mixed signals that befuddled the Doctor even more than his own complicating feelings and thoughts. It was all too much to handle, yet he found it humorous that such a trivial matter as a crush could be this devastating to the "Oncoming Storm."

At first, the Doctor didn't think she was interested in Beak- Rory at all anymore, that her travels had ultimately changed her outlook on a normal life. She'd insisted that the Doctor play her fiancé when they were sneaking her into the Calvierris' school, saying that being a brother and sister was too awkward… Yet, not awkward enough for Rory and her. The Doctor had done his best to stifle any laughter, reducing it to a short, quiet chuckle.

"What does she see in him?" the Doctor pondered aloud. The other two were fast asleep, leaving the Doctor to his own thoughts. He couldn't tell if that was good or bad. "He's clumsy, a little boring if you ask me… Amy needs someone as vibrant and colorful as her, someone with a taste for adventure. All _his _plans for her were to be a nurse's wife, to settle down and live in a quiet town, slowly rotting into old age. She's too good for that…"

"_Jealous, Doctor?"_ a voice asked from his head. It was a male voice, mischievous and evil, like some deceitful creature you'd find in an enchanted forest.

"What?" he asked, still out loud, "Who are you?"

"_Nobody that matters_," the voice replied, "_Answer the question, Doctor. Are you jealous of Rory Williams?"_

"Of course not!" he protested.

"_Really? Because that's not what I hear,_" the voice teased, "_I hear the jealousy in your voice. What I don't understand is why you don't just take her._"

"She's not mine to take. She has Rory."

"_Oh, poor Doctor. What a martyr we have here... Always having to give up his happiness for others, never having a moment to himself to think selfishly. Always alone…"_

"Leave me alone," he muttered, wishing whatever had brought this voice to go away. The voice was dripping with sarcasm and the Doctor just couldn't handle any negativity. Not while he was feeling so low. That was how the Doctor worked, you see. He couldn't sit there and chill, because eventually everything would catch up to him: the lives he couldn't save, the deaths he had caused, the hearts he had broken, the lives he had irreparably damaged.

"_You can still have her,_" the voice whispered. The words sounded so, so sweet to the Doctor. But he knew that this voice was not there for him. Just like a deceitful creature in the haunted woods, this voice was only leading him to trouble.

"She made her choice," the Doctor said, telling himself as well, "Amy invited Rory to come along. She wants to be with him."

"_You may be simple enough to believe that, but don't you dare try to convince me with your silly lies_," the voice cackled, "_I know what you think. I know what you feel. I know what you really believe, even if _you're _too dumb to let it click together."_

"Go away."

"_Want real assurance?_" the voice asked, devilishly, "_Take a look at her dreams, Doctor. You'll find they share some similarities with yours. She may be a nurse's fiancée by day… But our Amelia Pond is a doctor's lover by night."_

The Doctor gritted his teeth, "Shut. Up. I don't want to hear this anymore."

"_Fine," _the voice sighed, "_But don't think I can't feel you burning with curiosity, Doctor. I know you better than yourself."_

And with that, silence fell within the mind of the Doctor, leaving behind an old man with his thoughts and curiosity burning through his veins, an old man who had once visited the Candle Meadows on the planet of Karass Don Slava, an old man with psychic pollen hidden in one of the cabinets in one of the many rooms in the TARDIS, an old man who knew that if you just inserted the psychic pollen into one of the TARDIS' scanners, then it'd create a dream-like state for whoever inhaled the spores that could be displayed for someone to see on one of the monitors, like a movie, an old man who knew exactly what room it was and exactly how easy it would be to get it into Amy's room.

**PS Sorry about it all being dialogue, but I think it's needed. :P**


	3. More Than Just A Madman

**So, this is AFTER "Amy's Choice" and that voice comes into play. It really irritated me that Amy never minded that whole "Doctor doesn't trust you" stuff that the Dream Lord was saying :/ And... Yeah. I got reviews(: So shankya! ENJOY!**

"Silly me," the Doctor murmured to himself. It turns out that in his rush to see Amy's dreams, the old man had dropped some of the pollen, which heated up in the generator and subjected them all to a dream-like state, not just Amy. But he had seen her dreams, and the Dream Lord, that tiny voice in his head was right. She hadn't chosen. After today, though, he was sure things had changed.

"Doctor," Rory called, right before entering the console room with Amy, hand in hand. The sight caused the Doctor to feel a mixture of triumph for another one of his brilliant plans working out, but also heartbreak. Maybe Amy and her human feelings could change in an instant, but a Time Lord's feelings… They were much more complex. "Amy's made her choice," Rory smiled.

_She really has, _the Doctor thought to himself sadly. He shoved his hands into his coat pockets of his brown, tweed coat. Her voice played over and over in his mind, "_Then what is the point of you? …_ _I only want him." _The words cut him like razors, deep and swift.

"RIO!" the redhead cried, excitedly, her happy voice such a contrast from the dark, pain-filled one that was replaying over and over again in his brain, "The beach sounds perfect! Can we go tomorrow?"

"Yes. Yes, of course," the Doctor mumbled, "Good choice." He went back to the controls, staring at the monitors, wishing he had something to do. Usually, the Doctor would at least _try_ to put on the mask of happiness and excitement, but he'd been through so much that day. The Dream Lord was still in the back of his mind, taunting him, laughing. It took everything the Doctor had not to yell out in frustration and anger, to quiet all his doubts, fears, and self-hatred.

Amy looked at the Doctor curiously. She knew something was wrong with him. He'd avoided her questions earlier, and being so pre-occupied with the relief that Rory was still alive, she'd let it go. Just like he knew she would. But Amy knew her Raggedy Doctor. She noticed things, like the occasional clenching of his fists once he'd taken them out of his pockets, the dullness in his eyes, the furrowing of his brow that made it look like he was concentrating on something. His whole face was contorted with worry and pain. Amy knew instantly. While Rory and Amy had escaped that terrible Dream Lord when the TARDIS blew up in the dream, the Dream Lord wouldn't leave the Doctor. Ever. He'd always be waiting in the dark recesses of that man's mind, waiting to make another grand entrance.

"Rory," Amy said, casually, "Didn't you say you were tired?"

"No," he shook his head, then winked and elbowed Amy suggestively, "Quite the opposite if you get my meaning."

"No, I think you're tired," she repeated, putting more emphasis in her voice, trying to hint that he should leave the room. Sadly, subtlety wasn't Rory's strong suit, "Get to bed. We have a big day tomorrow."

"What? You sound like my mum!" Rory protested, "I'm not tired! I died today. And I was thinking we could celebrate…"

"Yeah, okay," the Doctor cleared his throat, "This is where I leave. Good night."

"No!" Amy groaned. Men could be so moronic sometimes. "Rory, bed. I want to talk to the Doctor alone."

"Fine," he grumbled, crossing his arms and heading towards their bedroom. There was a hint of jealousy that flashed into his voice. Even after Amy chose him, he still felt like the third wheel. He still felt like he was second to the Doctor, to Amy's childhood friend that Rory had dressed up as so many times in the past as a kid.

"Doctor," Amy said, quietly, moving closer towards him. He was still turned in the direction of his bedroom, frozen. Slowly, though, he turned around. His face a perfect mask of neutrality. He wasn't sure what Amy wanted to talk about. "Doctor, are you okay?"

"I'm always okay," he smiled, but it was an empty smile and it didn't fool either of them.

"I know I said some things," she admitted, remembering how she had acted after Rory had died in upper Leadworth. At the time, she wasn't thinking about the Doctor's feelings, only her own. Now, though, Amy felt guilt and remorse. "But you can't believe them," Amy continued, "Not what I said. Not what the Dream Lord said. None of that is true."

"You don't know that," the Doctor whispered, voice cracking a little bit, "You don't know what I've done in the past 906 years. You don't know me."

"I know that you like fish fingers and custard," she replied, desperately trying to cheer him up. She was searching for anything to tell him, to have him see himself like she did, "I know you can't stand to hear a child cry, to hear anyone in pain. I know you're the last Time Lord in this universe and that fact _kills _you. I know that you're more than just a madman with a blue box. You sacrificed yourself for me. For Rory. We really thought we could have died in those dreams, in Leadworth, but you trusted me. You died for me." Then she added with a smile, "And I know that you have horrible fashion sense."

"Hey!" he argued, touching his bow-tie in defense, "Bow-ties are cool."

They both broke out into a smile, and they were genuine. But Amy wasn't done talking. The Dream Lord had said that the Doctor didn't trust Amy, and that hurt her. She had thought that she was special, different, that she mattered as much to him as he did to her. "The Dream Lord said you don't trust me," she murmured. They were so close now. They weren't sure how that had happened, since when the conversation started they were at least 5 feet apart, almost on opposite sides of the controls.

"Amy-"

"No, it's fine, Doctor," she sighed, "I understand. I'm fine with it for now. _For now._ But you always ask me to trust you. And I do. Completely. Someday, I want you to be able to have as much trust in me as I have for you. Deal?" Amy held out her hand to shake.

"Deal," the Doctor smiled, taking her hand and pulling her into a hug. The Dream Lord, his doubts, his fear, his regrets… They were all still there, but with Amy's words echoing in his ears, her trust in his heart, and her warmth surrounding his body, the Doctor believed that he could fight them off, that maybe he could be the hero with two hearts of gold that Amy saw. He kissed the top of her head, which smelled of sweet pea and lavender. "You are magnificent, Amy Pond," he whispered into her hair, holding her a little bit tighter.

"So are you, my Raggedy Doctor," she replied with a laugh. _Mission accomplished._


	4. Under the Earth

**I don't know if I'm going to have a regular pattern or whatever for WHEN I post up stories. I think Imma just do it whenever I can. I have like... 5 more stories that are written. I just have to put them on here(: I'll talk further at the bottom.**

"Don't you give up!" the Doctor yelled. She was sinking, sinking fast. They didn't know what was under the ground, pulling Amy Pond beneath the earth, but he was holding on for dear life, and so was she.

Tears welled up in both their eyes. "Tell Rory-" she said, before being interrupted by her full descent into the ground.

"No!" The Doctor shouted, watching her hands slip from his, watching dirt cover those glimmering, beautiful eyes stare right back into his, watching her red tendrils disappear beneath the earth, watching his best friend get pulled down by an unknown force. "No! No!" he continued to shout, clawing at the dirt desperately, searching for his Amelia Pond.

LATER ON...

"Where's Amy?" asked Rory. The Doctor hadn't really been paying much attention to the man. He'd been prattling on about human-eating graves or some other ridiculous thing that the he really didn't have time for. He had a lot on his plate. They were all trapped with no way out, the Doctor didn't know who or why, and Amy... _Oh._ He mentally smacked himself in the head, but continued on, hoping that if he didn't answer, then maybe Rory would move on and forget he had even asked.

Just as expected, though, Rory didn't move on. His eyes bore a hole into the Doctor's head, following his every movement, questioning, but the Doctor could not meet them. "Get everyone inside the church," he ordered. He looked at Rory and couldn't handle it anymore. "Rory," he said, carefully, "I'll get her back."

"What do you mean? Where'd she go?"

Just saying it was hard for him, but he managed to blurt out, "She was taken. Into the earth." _And it's all my fault._ I _made us stay after she asked, repeatedly, to leave. But I was so occupied with the big mining thing..._

Rory's expression ranged from confused to worried, and finally, to angry. He had come to the same conclusion as the Doctor had. "How?" he asked, desperately, "Why didn't you stop it?"

"I tried," the Doctor replied, trying to convince Rory as well as himself that he was not to blame, "I promise I tried."

"Well, why didn't you try harder?" he cried, angrily. _So human_, the Doctor thought to himself, _If only I had the luxury to sit here and be sad and mope. If only I had the luxury to worry about just her.. He acts like he's the only one who cares for Amy. He's not!_

The Doctor didn't have time to freak out and show how afraid and worried for Amy he was. He had to hurry up and come up with a rescue plan. "I'll find Amy," he vowed, "I'll keep you all safe. I promise. C'mon, please? I need you alongside me."

Rory only nodded before they continued on their way. _I'll get her back_. Losing Amy had made the pieces the Doctor had neatly put away and hidden surface and start to combine, ambushing the Doctor when he really didn't have time to figure it all out. One thing was for sure, though. He cared for Amy. He was just unsure of how deep it was all getting.

**Yeah, so I like dragging things out. I got a review saying there wasn't a lot of romance yet, but it's the third chapter. How I'm doing it is I'm going to show it build up and use scenes that you'd see in the show where their feelings aren't mentioned. There's a guaranteed 12 chapters right now. Thanks for the reviews!(:**


	5. Green Tea In A Blue Box

**Takes place after Rory Williams' tragic death in "Cold Blood." The newly single Amy Pond can't remember a thing about Rory and the Doctor is caught between his attraction towards her and the guilt from Rory's death. ENJOY, MY FRIENDS! :)**

Rory died. Rory Williams died, sacrificing himself for the Doctor, a man who was having questionable feelings about his fiancee. _Well, ex-fiancee is the correct term, I believe_, corrected the Doctor. To top it off, the dead man's fiancee didn't even remember a thing. His chest ached from Amy's furious punches, but also from the guilt. Rory's death was on the Doctor's hands.

"Oi!" Amy yelled from the kitchen, carrying out two mugs of steaming liquid, "I made some tea. Today was sorta rough, wasn't it?"

_You have no idea,_ the Doctor thought sadly, _She should be crying in her room, not wanting to look at me in the eyes, not being able to stand my presence. But here she is, all happy and glowing and bringing me... _"Green tea?" the Doctor asked, when he had gotten his mug, "Since when did we start drinking _green_ tea?"

"It's my favorite," she grinned, slowly sipping the hot tea. The Doctor sniffed at his mug, then followed suit. He hadn't tried green tea in ages. Who knew if he liked it in this body or not? Instantly, the minute it touched his tongue, the Doctor spit it all out, spraying green tea all over the TARDIS. Amy laughed, "You're cleaning that up."

"I think I'll stick to chamomile," he replied, setting the cup down on the nearest flat surface.

"You always spit my food out," Amy pouted, "Remember my beans? You said they were evil!"

"I was still getting used to my taste buds!" the Doctor cried, defensively, "No need to be so sensitive, Amelia."

"Amelia?" Amy looked at him oddly, stepping a bit closer towards him, "You only call me 'Amelia' when you're worried. What's wrong?" He hated how well she could read him. It scared the Doctor and made him doubt his capabilities at lying, which he had a strange sense of pride in.

"Let's go on an adventure!" the Doctor suggested, excitedly. Changing the subject was the only thing he could think of. "Have you ever been to the Trojan Gardens?" he asked, getting into his super-excited, hyper-speed mode. Amy opened her mouth to speak, but he quickly interrupted her, "No, of course not. It's beautiful! You'll love it. Especially during the summer. How about we catch a little shut-eye and go at it in the morning?"

"Sounds good," she shrugged, not matching his enthusiasm, still eyeing him carefully. But now it was a different eyeing. Not suspicious... "I don't think I'm really all that tired just yet, Doctor. Maybe we can get a little wet and wild in the swimming pool?" Amy suggested, giving the Doctor a seductive smile. She loved messing with him, making his eyes look away nervously. Amy just wasn't sure of what reaction she'd like better: nervously trying to stop, or actually giving in.

The Doctor froze. _Oh no,_ he thought. One problem the Doctor had forgotten was that without Rory, Amy Pond was a single woman. If "engaged to Rory" Amy was bad, how much worse would "single" Amy be? How much bigger of a threat would she turn out to be? He didn't like this. Well, he did, but he didn't want to, and the fact that he did find some pleasure in this made him angrier. The Doctor wasn't going to sit here and flirt with Amy Pond. Not after Rory, her fiance, had died less than 6 hours ago, for the Doctor. _I won't be able to resist her advances forever_, the Doctor thought, grimly. Though he hadn't ever really considered them close during Rory's lifetime, he knew that they were friends now. Or else Rory wouldn't have ever done such a thing.

"Not tonight," the Doctor cleared his throat, avoiding her gaze. He switched on the TARDIS' autopilot and headed straight down to his bedroom.

"A little eager to get to the bedroom, eh?" Amy called, playfully. _I don't know. This is pretty funny. He looks cute when he's nervous. Maybe even more than when he looks confident. Hm. No. Equally adorable either way. _

"Good night, Amy" the Doctor said in a stern tone, like she was a child who was about to break a rule.

"Good night, Doctor!" The last thing he heard when he shut the door was the delightful sound of Amy Pond's laugh. Two things ran through his head. First, that her laugh was cute. Secondly, that if she had remembered all that happened that day, she wouldn't be laughing. At all.


	6. Forgotten Priorities

**This takes place after "The Lodger." When the Doctor's time is unraveling in "The Big Bang," we see him and Amy on their way to Space Florida with all its wonders- like automatic sand(: Here's what happened on that trip! Oh, and also, I've been reading other stories and their intros are like "I don't own Doctor Who" blah blah blah. So... If you were under the impression that I owned Doctor Who.. Then you are sadly mistaken. :P ENJOY!**

"This place is amazing!" Amy squealed, running down the beach of automatic sand. She wore a white Hawaiian tourist shirt, unbuttoned with two tank tops beneath it, shorts that showed off her long legs, and her usual cowboy boots. She peeked over her thick sun glasses at the sunny beach. It looked exactly like Earth Florida, or at least what she had seen on postcards of Earth Florida. The sand was white, the water an actually clear, light blue, and palm trees sprinkled everywhere.

The Doctor peeked out of the TARDIS door, grinning at the impressed expression on Amy Pond's face. He loved introducing her to new worlds and watching that shocked look of sheer wonderment light up on her pale face. "Amy," he called, "I'll be just a moment. I have to find my old swimming trunks."

"Please don't say you think speedos are cool," Amy joked, one hand on her hip. The Doctor just rolled his eyes, poking his head back into his blue box. He went through trunk after trunk before he finally found his blue swim shorts that went down to his knees. They had a white drawstring on them that he tied neatly after sliding them on. After grabbing the towel, he walked back out of the TARDIS and onto the beach.

What he next saw stunned the Doctor. _So beautiful_ his mind whispered. Her pale, smooth skin shone from the sunscreen, and the way that her red hair glimmered in the sun made him catch his breath. Amy had taken off all her clothes with just a lilac bikini on and those same thick frames. She was stretched out on the towel in the sand, sun-bathing, though from his point of view, she looked to be sleeping. "Damn my affinity for redheads," the Doctor muttered, before walking over.

"Took you awhile," Amy commented, hearing the Doctor approach.

"Really? Sorry about that," he apologized, squinting from the sunlight. "You going out to the water?"

"Do you see this color?" She stuck a long leg up in the air, and the Doctor couldn't help but stare, "I'm pale as a ghost!"

"You look fine," the Doctor sighed, a smirk playing at his lips. She was absolutely perfect.

"You're just saying that to be nice."

"I never lie just for the sake of being _nice,_" he replied.

"You should put on some sunscreen. You'll burn."

"I'm the Oncoming Storm, Amy." The Doctor flashed a cocky grin, "I doubt that the sun will bother me too much."

Amy sighed, "Fine. Suit yourself."

He couldn't tell if she was looking at him through her sunglasses, so he went off into the water himself. For awhile, it was just him there. He tested to see if he was a good swimmer, and he was. The Doctor hadn't felt so relaxed in such a long time. Then he heard a loud splash Amy screaming the whole way. "Very graceful, Pond."

"Shut up, Stupid," Amy cried, "I'm surprised you don't have a matching bow-tie to swim with."

The Doctor sent a wave of water towards her, which turned into an all out water fight that lasted them a good half hour, leaving them laughing and soaking wet. Amy taught the Doctor how to do a hand-stand underwater and did a few little races, but the Doctor stopped them when he was losing 4-2.

"You would have made a perfect wife for one of those giant fish from space," he teased, tapping her nose. Amy loved it when he did that.

"Meh. 'Alien' isn't really my type," she shrugged.

"Excuse me?" the Doctor's mouth gaped open, offended, "Don't forget we're different species, Pond!"

"Oh, I didn't," she laughed. The Doctor started to pick Amy up, but she knew what he was trying to do, so she made a fight out of it, smacking his chest and kicking, preventing him throwing her.

"Ow! That hurts!" he cried, and they paused to look at the red handprints on his chest, all the same shape and size of Amy's hands, "Look what you did to me!"

"You're the 'Oncoming Storm,' I thought. Here you are being beaten by a girl."

"Well, you're not like most girls," the Doctor pointed out. Amy looked at him, smiling, because that was exactly what she wanted to hear. But the teasing all stopped, because they had started to realize just how close they were. There wasn't even distance between them. The Doctor had picked her up bridal-style trying to throw her, and she was still there in his arms, so light in the water. Amy still had her arms around his neck from when she tried to hold on for dear life.

They just stared at each other, watching for any movement from the other, lost in the moment and not wanting to look away. _She's absolutely magnificient_. Amy's scent of lavender and sweet pea was all around them, stronger, like all the water on her skin and in her hair had turned to perfume. Amy was distracted with the drops of water rolling down his face. And those eyes. She was getting lost in those eyes. They were more beautiful than that whole beach surrounding them.

"Doctor," she murmured, breaking the silence. She wanted to kiss him so badly, but there was something telling her not to. _The ring._The ring she had found in his coat pocket. It was for River, no doubt, but Amy didn't care at the moment. She had waited for this moment her whole life. All her other kisses, whether they had been for business or pleasure all led up to this, and would soon be overshadowed by this. Amy leaned in, swearing for a second that he was leaning in too, that he wanted it this time, that he wasn't going to run off with some silly excuse.

"Amy," he whispered, trying to say that they couldn't. But he failed. Her scent was all around them, her body warm against his. How could he resist? The Doctor leaned in, despite the screaming in his brain. He could hear all of them: himself, Rory, River, Rose, Martha, Donna, Reinette, Sarah, Liz I... Screaming at the top of their lungs, yelling, reminding him how this wouldn't work, reminding him of all the others that he'd left broken, reminding him how he would leave Amy just the same. But he wanted it. He wanted Amy. The Doctor was tired of worrying about the future. He just wanted this moment, this kiss.

But as we all know, you don't always get what you want. The Doctor could feel the heat of her lips as they approached faster to crash with his. Amy closed her eyes, but the Doctor kept his open. He wanted to see every detail of it happening. Somehow, though, he had missed a boy running down the beach towards them.

"Are you the Doctor?" the boy asked, oblivious to scene in front of him, "I saw your box. Please, sir. We need your help."

The two didn't separate immediately, but Amy opened her eyes, seeing just how close she had been to getting what she had always dreamed of. It was her that broke the embrace, sliding her hands away from his neck. Not the Doctor, but she had hardly noticed that detail. There was an overwhelming sense of betrayal, of guilt and embarrassment, though she couldn't quite pin it on a certain thing. _He's a married man_, she suggested, _He may not be now. But he knows he will be. And you've met the future Mrs. Doctor. It isn't you._

The Doctor stepped away. He, at least, knew why he felt so guilty. How did he let things get that far? He cleared his throat before addressing the boy, his voice sounding so loud after such a quiet, intense moment, "Yes, hello. I'm the Doctor."

"Oh, thank goodness!" the boy grinned, elated, "Sorry to ruin your good time, though from the looks of that sunburn, you must have been out here awhile!"

The Doctor looked where the boy had motioned to. His shoulders. They were very red and hot to the touch. Amy smirked, looking back at him with wicked eyes that said "_I told you so. So much for 'Oncoming Storm,'eh?"_

"Well," the Doctor sighed, trying to ignore her amused smile and his own feelings of humiliation, "Let's hope we make it to tomorrow. What do we have here?"

"There's a crack, sir. A crack in the ground of the city's centre. And it's been getting bigger."

"The crack from my bedroom wall?" Amy asked, eyes cautious, remembering her fear of that crack all throughout her childhood.

"Let's find out," the Doctor murmured, already heading towards the TARDIS. Amy and the Doctor realized that they didn't have time to discuss what had happened. As usual, the Doctor was needed to save humanity. "But first," he added, "I need my handy dandy bow tie."

**PS: Soon, chapters may be coming at a slower rate. I just finished Series 6 (Yeah. Just got addicted to this show like... Earlier this month) so I have to brainstorm how to incorporate those episodes in... And then write my own story that extends past Series 6! So... Yeah(: Beware!**


	7. Let's Play Pretend

**What up, my readers?(: I think I like this chapter is my favorite and I've really been wanting to post it since I first wrote it. It's not really tied to an episode, but it takes place about a week after Space Florida. So... Yeah. Enjoy! :)**

Amy sat on the top bunk of her bed in her room. It was starting to resemble the one that she had back home. The walls were blue, but actual TARDIS blue, which is the blue she had tried achieving in her old room. The paint stores never had the exact color she was looking for. Amy smiled, remembering her aunt's frustration when she rejected shade after shade of the blue color. Drawings and pictures were all taped up the wall, including a replica painting of Vincent van Gogh's _Vase with 12 Flowers_, the one he had dedicated to Amy. Her bed was littered with piles of pillows and stuffed animals she had brought from home, maybe to fend off any homesickness she thought she might experience, and there was even a doll of her Raggedy Doctor that she hid at the bottom of the pile. Where there should be pictures of her friends and family from home taped by her mirror, there were instead polaroids of Amy and the Doctor.

There was a picture of her on her first night in the TARDIS, one with Queen Elizabeth X looking quite fierce with the Doctor, Winston Churchill with a starstruck Amy, the Doctor with Elliot from Wales in 2020, Vincent van Gogh staring lovingly into an oblivious Amy, and a picture of the Doctor after his first football match. She loved to keep track of all these trips. Like the pictures of her and the Doctor posing and making funny faces in Arcadia, the Trojan Gardens, the fifth moon of Cinda Calista, Rio... All moments that she loved. But there were two pictures that bothered her the most.

The first one was one that was taken when she and the Doctor had gone to Venice. The picture shows her and a man, a man with sandy hair and a big nose, and she could tell that he was a nice bloke. Still, she had no idea who he was, why he was in the picture, or when it was even taken. She hadn't remembered that part at all. And for some reason, whenever Amy looked at that photo, she always felt a single tear fall down, and was overwhelmed with guilt and sadness. She had no idea why, and hadn't mentioned it to the Doctor yet.

The second picture that bothered her was the picture of River and the Doctor straight off the Byzantium. He looked so tired and frustrated from lack of knowing what the cracks meant, hating how everyone knew but him. And Amy, of course. She was just as clueless as he. The Doctor wore a tired smile and had his jacket off. River leaned her head on one of his shoulders, like it was where she belonged. She smiled so warmly, so lovingly, that you could tell that that's where she belonged, where she was happiest. Sometimes, that picture made Amy want to cry too. It overwhelmed her with sadness too. Maybe even worse than the one with the strange man.

"Amy?" the Doctor called, knocking on her door, "Amy! I know what we're going to do today!"

She sighed, changing her expression from "sad" to "annoyed," though she knew he would have her smiling in seconds. "Come in, Doctor."

He walked in and found Amy sitting criss-cross on the top bunk. Luckily she decided not to wear her usual short skirt, settling with jeans. "Kataa Flo Ko!"

"What?" she sat up, confused.

"I planned on going there awhile back with another companion," the Doctor admitted. He had offered to take Donna when he believed she was leaving. "It has diamond coral reefs. Just beautiful. You'll see for yourse-" The Doctor stopped when he saw she was no longer paying attention. At first, there was a flash of irritation. It was a bloody good idea, a great place to take her to, and here she was, unimpressed. He followed Amy's gaze to the wall of pictures, though the Doctor wasn't so sure about _which _picture she was looking at.

He had never kept something so sentimental... So real. The Doctor wanted to forget the good times he had with a companion, because it was hard to move on otherwise. Yet, he didn't want to forget about Amy. He knew she was one of the special ones. Just like Donna. Just like Rose. Yeah, he could put them out of his mind for awhile, but then the memories would flood back, all the times they ran, all the times they couldn't stop laughing, all the times that they had stuck together. The Doctor would never forget Amy.

"Humans," he chuckled, quietly, "So nostalgic."

Amy gave a soft smile, shoving a hand in her pocket and feeling the red velvet box she had found in the Doctor's pocket. The diamond coral reefs reminded her of the diamond ring that lay inside. When she had first seen it, she believed that it was for River, but after the lid was opened, revealing a simple yet beautiful ring, Amy had an overwhelming sense that it was hers, that it belonged to _her. _She constantly imagined the Doctor proposing, fantasizing their future, which must have added to the confusion in Space Florida that she was trying so hard to forget.

The Doctor climbed onto the top bunk and scooted next to Amy. She seemed to be down in the dumps, though he wasn't quite sure why. He wondered if it was because of him. Because of what had happened with their almost kiss a week ago. They hadn't talked about it at all, pretending it had never happened. Amy had deluded herself into thinking that he hadn't leaned in at all, that she was just wishing so hard that she thought she saw him. The Doctor was keeping a list of subjects to change to if it ever came up.

She wanted to rest all her hopes and worries on the man, to cuddle up next to him and feel safe forever in his arms, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw that picture of the Doctor and River. River was doing exactly that, getting exactly that. Because it was hers. Not Amy's. Not the ring, not this life, not the TARDIS, not this wonderful, hilarious man. It was all River's. She could tell that from the picture they were meant to be together. It was just that Amy had grown up her whole life thinking that it would be _her_ he'd settle down with, that he'd be _her _Mr. Right.

The Doctor wanted to grab Amy and kiss the top of her head, tell her everything was going to be alright and that he loved her, because he was sure his feelings were getting deeper, deep enough to start considering it love. He loved her feisty-ness, her flirting, her boldness, her hair, her skin, her legs, her walk, her Scottish accent. Everything. It all made his two hearts leap higher than any other woman had made them leap before. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rory and Amy in Venice. The Doctor wondered what she thought of that picture, but was too afraid to ask. Maybe she'd remember... Was that what he wanted? She was Rory's. The Doctor was second place, winning only by default, by Rory's death. And what was the fun in that?

The atmosphere was tense. It was complete silence until Amy broke it, knowing that if the silence was prolonged any longer, she'd go mad. "Actually, that Katar Flo Jo sounds pretty amazing," she said, sitting up, "Let's get to it then?"

"Yes!" the Doctor cried, excitedly, leaping to the floor and not even caring that she had totally mispronounced it. "You'll love it! Promise! Oh, I love when I think up something brilliant!"

Amy knew none of this was hers, that someday it would all be River's, but for now... She was okay with pretending. Pretending that the Doctor wanted to be with her, that the TARDIS would forever be her home, that every day for the rest of her life would be filled with adventure. _Just pretend this is all yours. Just for now._


	8. Forever Nonsensical

**Hey! Sorry for the delay! It's finals week and such, but now I'm all done! :) Um... Yeah. This is from "The Pandorica Opens." I just came up with some new ideas for my "post- Season 6" stuff so I'll be getting on that! ENJOY!**

"So, are you proposing to someone?" Amy asked. River had gone to recruit the Roman legion, leaving Amy and the Doctor by themselves in the Underhenge. She'd been meaning to ask him for some time, but had never gotten the courage. She had to take advantage of their time alone.

"I'm sorry?" The Doctor wasn't really paying attention at all. He had so much going on in his mind, like what was in the Pandorica, why everyone wanted it, what was making it open _now_, and how were they going to escape an army of at least 10,000 starships. Then, of course, there was that nagging idea that Amy had something to do with it, that the coincidence between her favorite childhood story and her favorite school subject was more than just chance.

"I found this," she explained, holding the box out for him to see, stepping into his light as he worked with the sonic screwdriver over the mysterious box, "In your pocket."

The Doctor looked up, instantly, and all his thoughts were interrupted by one. _Oh no._ "No, no, no," he rushed to explain. He should have told her, should have tried a little harder helping her remember Rory, instead of trying to get over him. _Stupid. Selfish, _the Doctor silently berated himself,_ What kind of best friend am I? _"That's, uh, a memory," he replied, lamely, "A friend of mine... Someone I lost."

Amy looked disappointed. She had really, sincerely convinced herself into thinking the ring was hers, that she had some sort of special connection with it. She snapped it back quickly from the Doctor who mumbled something about her giving it back. Amy peered at the ring. She still felt it. She still felt like it was hers. "It's weird," she murmured, "I feel... Something."

The Doctor paused, deciding what to say. _I'm her friend. I have to help her remember. _"People fall out of the world sometimes," he began, "But they always leave traces. Little things you can't quite accountfor: faces in photographs, luggage, half-eaten meals... Rings. Nothing is ever forgotten, not completely. And if something can be remembered, it _can_ come back."

He watched her carefully, looking for any sign of recognition, the moment of truth. Would she remember him? Would Rory Williams come back into existence? Amy blinked back unexplained tears and cleared her throat. Maybe she was feeling hurt, rejected from it not being his ring for her. Nevertheless, she wasn't going to cry. Amy Pond would not cry in front of the Doctor. Especially not when the tears might be for him. "So was she nice?" Amy asked, suddenly, not the question that the Doctor was expecting, "Your friend?"

The Doctor smiled softly, sadly. _Is Rory truly forgotten?_ What did that mean for him? He'd made a deal with himself that he'd talk to Amy about everything, the awkward silences, the stares she had caught, the unexplained sweetness... But only when she was truly over Rory. Was this the time to tell her he might have started to develop feelings? "Remember that night when you flew away with me?" the Doctor asked. Was he really doing this?

"Of course I do."

"And you asked me why I was taking you and I said there wasn't a reason?" Yes, he was doing this. No, wait. Maybe he shouldn't. Indecisiveness plagued his mind. This wasn't going to work. But then again, maybe it would. Maybe things would be different this time around. How many times had he told himself that? And how many times had he been wrong? "I was lying."

"Wait. So you had a reason?" Amy looked at the Doctor, confused.

No. He couldn't do this. Not now. "Your house." It was another reason, yes, why the Doctor had taken her. But the main reason: she had trusted him, devoted herself to him after only an hour or so of knowing him. She was brave and funny and being around her really was an ego boost. He felt good around little Amelia Pond, like he was incapable of doing anything bad, doing anything wrong. But then she grew up. And she was beautiful. And she still trusted him after those 14 years.

"My house..."

"It's too big. Too many empty rooms," the Doctor explained. This may not have been the reason he brought up the conversation, but it was still something that he had always meant to ask her. It was still something that he had always wanted to point out, to solve. "Does it ever bother you, Amy, that your life doesn't make sense?"

The question shocked Amy, not only because it confused her, and sounded big and important, but because she never had been bothered by it. _I live in a blue box that's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. I live with a man that is 907, but looks 880 years younger and acts like a child. I don't want my life to make sense. The day my life starts to make sense is the day he leaves me... And I don't ever want that. I hope my life never does stop being so nonsensical._


	9. How Could I Resist?

**From "The Big Bang." This was my favorite scene of the whole 5th season and I kinda cried a little at the "You won't need your imaginary friend" thing. And I don't normally get emotional over TV or anything. But... Yeah(: There's gonna be two or three chapters from this episode. I haven't decided which ones I want to use or not use. CONTINUE READING!**

Amy Pond swore she would never let the Doctor see her cry over him. Yet, still she found her eyes filling with tears, doing her best not to let them fall as she looked upon her first love, her best friend, her Raggedy Doctor sitting weakly in the Pandorica. He was going to sacrifice himself for the universe by driving the box into the exploding TARDIS, making the Big Bang 2.

"Hi," Amy said nervously.

"Amy Pond," the Doctor smiled a painful smile, one that showed just how tired he was from the upturning of his lips, "The girl who waited all night in your garden. Was it worth it?" His voice was raspy and there were several pauses due to his breathing. _All I want is to know that I didn't screw you up. Tell me I was worth it, _his mind begged.

"Shut up," she replied, instantly, "Of course it was."

"You asked me why I was taking you with me and I said 'No reason.' I was lying." He wasn't going to tell her how he felt. Not when he was about to die. She wouldn't remember it anyways, so what would be the point? No, but he had to tell her something else. Something that would change Amelia's life forever. She needed to know just how much that crack in the wall effected her.

"It's not important," Amy shook her head, expecting an apology or something of the sort. But the Doctor didn't need to apologize to her. He was the greatest man she had ever come to know. He had made her life so much more interesting and meaningful than it would have been if he'd never crashed into her aunt's garden.

"Yeah," the Doctor murmured, turning serious, "Its the most important thing left in the universe. It's why I'm doing this." _Amy, you're different than the others. I can truly see that now. You are unlike any other girl that I have met, and though you will soon forget me, don't think for a second that I would ever forget you. Not my fiery, flirtatious, little ginger. Not my Amelia Pond._ That was what the Doctor wanted to say, but instead said, "Amy, your house is too big. That big, empty house with just you."

"And Aunt Sharon," she added, not getting where he was going.

"Where were your mum and dad? Where was... Everybody who lived in that big house?"

"I lost my mum and dad." _And now I'm losing you._

"How? What happened to them?" the Doctor pressed, then dropped his voice to a whisper, "Where did they go?"

"I-" Amy started to explain, but stopped when... She couldn't. She didn't know how to answer his questions. What _did _happen? Where _had_ they gone? "I don't-"

"It's okay, it's okay," he shushed her, not wanting her to go into shock or anything, "It's not your fault."

"I don't even remember," Amy whispered, confused. How could she forget her own parents?

"There's a crack in time in the wall of your bedroom," the Doctor explained, "And it's been eating away at your life for a long time now. Amy Pond... All alone. The girl who didn't make sense... How could I resist?"

**MEANWHILE...**

_I should be in there. He's my _husband _for crying out loud!_ River thought, _But I'm not the girl he trusts most. Not yet. She is... _River remembered the dolls and cartoons that Amy had made when she was a kid. She knew that Amy was infatuated with the Doctor, something that would come to an end very soon. Still, there was a twinge of jealousy that River couldn't help but feel. She comforted herself with thoughts of the future, where Amy and Rory were living happily as a married couple, where the Doctor and Amy were just close friends and nothing more, where River was the only woman that mattered. _She'll soon get over him. And he will be mine. I just have to endure this._

The earth shook, almost making the woman lose her footing. The universe was coming to an end. "Doctor!" she cried, "It's speeding up!"

What River Song had forgotten was that time could be re-written.

**BACK IN THE PANDORICA...**

"How can I remember them if they never existed?" Amy asked, furiously. Maybe she didn't want to bring her parents back. Maybe she just wanted him to stay. Time with her and the Doctor was running out. As she slipped the sonic screwdriver into his front pocket, their faces so close, Amy tried to remember how his lips had felt on hers all that time ago. They were warm and soft and irresistible. The moment they had touched hers, Amy couldn't get enough. Not until he had to pull her off him.

"Because," the Doctor whispered, drawing her in closer, "You're special. All that time... The universe puring into your head. You brought Rory back, you can bring them back too." He kissed a soft tendril of red hair, inhaling its scent that he loved so much, "You just remember, and they'll be there."

"You won't." They were the words that both knew the other was thinking about, but didn't dare to say. And they were the most painful words Amy's mouth had ever uttered. She stepped out of the box, the prison she had been in for almost 2,000 years and into the orange light of the empty museum.

"You'll have your family back," the Doctor attempted a smile, but it faded quickly, twitching with sadness, "You won't need your imaginary friend anymore."

That's when she lost it. Amy felt hot tears roll down her cheeks, but she didn't dare wipe them away. The most amazing man in the universe was being sent to his death. He deserved _someone_ to cry over his death, and after today... Nobody would, because he would never have existed.

He let out a breathy laugh. "Amy Pond. Crying over me, eh? Well, guess what?"

"What?" She tried to control her voice, but was failing epically.

"Gotcha," the Doctor smirked as the doors of the Pandorica began to enclose around him.

Amy's tears fell faster as she watched her best friend leave for the last time. She cried for every mean thing she had ever said,all the times she had made fun of his stupid bow ties, for the shared memories she would soon forget, for the things they were both too afraid to say. For the death of her Raggedy Doctor.

**Oh, and thanks for all the reviews and messages and such(: **


	10. All About Us

**What up, folks?(: Okay, so I was listening to this amazing song while I wrote this chapter. It's called "All About Us" by He Is We, and I decided that that's the song that Amy and the Doctor dance to. So, if you want to complete the experience, go open another tab and play it while you're reading this. Capische? Capische! This is after the Doctor returns in "The Big Bang" ENJOY!**

She remembered him. How could Amy Pond ever forget that her Raggedy Doctor was real? She remembered fish fingers and custard, star whales, Daleks, Weeping Angels, the kiss in her bedroom, Space Florida... Amy remembered it all. With her two boys both existing again, she felt both happy and confused. While Rory was gone, Amy was sure that she wanted to be with the Doctor forever. But with the Doctor gone, Amy actually was okay with living safe in a little cottage with the boy who had grown up loving her. She thought about the 14 years she had spent slowly falling in love with Rory, her brand new husband, the 14 years she had spent yearning for the Doctor's return.

"Tabetha was right about one thing" she heard the Doctor say. Amy turned in her chair to see him pulling an unfortunate Augustus Pond around on the dance floor.

"What would that be, Doctor?" her father asked.

"You're very stiff when dancing! Very awkward," he critiqued, "You have to keep it loose!" Amy laughed at the shade of red that rushed up to Augustus' cheeks, especially when considering that the Doctor was passing judgement when he thrashed about wildly and called it "dancing." Oh, how had she forgotten him?

Amy turned her attention back to the table, talking to Rory and her friends and family about how happy they were, where their new place was, how many kids they were planning to have, and all that. They all fired question after question about their future plans. Was she going to stay a kiss-o-gram forever? When was Rory going to be a doctor? Did she think their kids would come out with red hair?

There was another question that rose above the others, not because of the volume, but just because Amy could pick this voice out of a crowd of millions at a rock concert. "I believe it's the bride's turn," the Doctor said slyly, pulling up next to her with an outstretched hand, "Permission from the new husband?"

Rory looked a little doubtful for a second, but then he nodded. This was his wedding day. He was _Mr. Pond_. She didn't have to choose anymore, because she had honestly already chosen. Though Rory still felt slightly threatened. If the Doctor really wanted, he could have Amy in his arms in a heartbeat. He was dark and heroic. Rory was just some dorky nurse. Still, he was sure that there was nothing between them anymore. Or at least not on the Doctor's part. But that was due to the Doctor's excellent lying skills that only Amy seemed to see through. Except, of course, for this. "Remember," Rory warned, "I'm watching you."

"Will do, Mr. Pond," the Doctor nodded, amused. He'd faced things ten times worse than Rory could even imagine. Rory Williams might pack a heavy punch, but he was hardly something that would keep the Doctor up at night with fear. He grabbed Amy's hand and pulled her from the seat, dragging her onto the dance floor. "Come along, Pond. Let's cut a rug!"

"Cut a what?" Amy asked, rolling her eyes yet grinning at the same time.

"Never mind!" he sighed, feeling very old indeed.

A song started. Amy had started to listen to American music and this was one of the bands that she was actually starting to get into. She knew the song instantly, realizing it was a slow, romantically sweet song. It was "All About Us" by He Is We. Amy and the Doctor shuffled close together, feeling a little awkward remembering Rory was "watching them." The Doctor placed his hand on the small of her back, feeling the smooth fabric of her wedding dress and Amy's soft hand entwining with his other. Amy placed her other hand on his shoulder and they began to sway to the song in small movements that were more smooth than any of the Doctor's other dances that night.

"You look... Breathtaking," the Doctor murmured, not even thinking. He noticed the white glow of her skin and her dress and that veil. Her warm, brown eyes glistening pure joy. The Doctor tried to keep his jaw from just dropping.

Amy just smiled. She didn't want to ruin the moment with the sarcastic reply that was already forming. "You know, you're not doing bad," Amy commented. He'd only stepped on her feet twice, but neither one cared to notice it.

"I think it's because you're leading," the Doctor laughed. He did a poor attempt of twirling her out, making Amy giggle at the total awkwardness of the movement. When she re-joined him, the conversation got quiet and they just continued dancing, staring into each others eyes. Enjoying the song, enjoying this dance, enjoying this moment. "Amy," he said, softly, "Thank you. I knew I could count on you."

"You're being very nice," Amy narrowed her eyes, amused. The last time he had been so nice to her was when Rory had gotten wiped from existence. Did she have a twin sister that she was forgetting?

"Yes, well, you _did _just bring me back from the dead," the Doctor pointed out.

"True. How about a quick snog outside to repay the favor?" she suggested, that seductive glint back in her eyes. The Doctor had been gone for fourteen years, and Amy decided that they had a lot of flirty banter to catch up on.

"Amy, you're a married woman now," the Doctor sighed, using a patronizing tone.

"So, we'll have to be sneakier!" Amy teased, but was starting to notice something very strange. He wasn't nervous like he usually was. Normally, if she was talking like this, the Doctor would push away, put as much distance between them as possible. Yet, now she finding him pulling her closer, the perfect picture of comfortable.

"Amy Pond," the Doctor chuckled, "What am I going to do with you?"

"I can think of a few things," she grinned, raising an eyebrow. If he wasn't going to stop her... Then Amy wasn't going to stop. Well, sometime she would _have _to, but she knew it was ridiculous to think he would let it get any farther than this.

"And then you wonder why Rory gets so jealous!" The Doctor stared into Amy's, finding it so difficult to break away from. So blue, so bright... So filled with life. Only 21 years old and here she was. He'd been married once, filled with that same "young love" feeling where were no obstacles or problems. Everything was so simple back then.

"He gets jealous of every guy I talk to."

"You flirt with every guy you talk to," he countered, receiving a swift punch to his arm. "Ow!"

"You deserve that and you know it."

The Doctor smiled to himself before grabbing a hold of Amy's hand again. He tried watching his feet, not wanting to step on her for the thousandth time, but that was just making it harder. And she was much more interesting to look at than his feet. So, he looked up and tried to do a spin, which was more successful than the previous one. "I really did want to walk you down the aisle," the Doctor smiled.

"Yeah, well, Augustus did a hell of a job," Amy smiled, looking back over at her dad, who was watching the two dance. He was probably thanking God that his turn was up and sending his support to his daughter who was trapped on the dance floor with maybe the worst dancer in the entire universe.

"Yes, but I'd like to think I was the only male figure you really had growing up. You know, before your parents existed again."

"Ew. Please don't act all fatherly right now," Amy stuck her tongue out, "I tried seducing you last night, remember? The night before my wedding?"

"Oh... Right," the Doctor grimaced, "Well, when you put it like that, it sounds gross. You're actually not that bad of a kisser if I remember well."

"Not good enough," Amy pretended to pout, "You ran away."

"Because you were good!" he explained, "If you were bad, I wouldn't have _needed_ to run away to stop." _Crap_, the Doctor thought, wanting to take the TARDIS and go back in time five seconds before to slap himself in the face. _I can't believe I just said that. On her _wedding day_ with her husband just a short distance away._

"Doctor," Amy looked at him, curiously, trying to piece what he had said together. Did she really hear what she thought she heard? And if she had, did it mean what she was thinking it meant? She smirked, "You can't resist me, can you?"

"Amy, behave," the Doctor warned, wishing there was some sort of other distraction. Rory should come over and cut in... Wait, no. Because he really didn't want to lose this moment. He didn't want the dance to end, because then Amy would go back with Rory and the Doctor would have to go back and find a new partner that he honestly didn't want to dance with and was only doing for show. The Doctor hated that she was married, that he had to ask _permission _now to dance with her and hug her, that she had settled down so fast, that she was growing up. They always grew up. And when they grew up, they had to make choices, grown up choices. The Doctor's companions always left for three reasons: they died, they _would _die, or they grew up. And Amy Pond was growing up. She was going to leave him all too soon.

"Answer the question!" Amy demanded.

"No," he replied, after several moments of silence.

"Wait..." Amy asked, slowly, "Do you mean 'No, I won't answer the question' or 'No, I can't resist your beautiful charm and wit'?"

He was amused by her confusion, but he knew just how serious her question was. She stared at him until, finally, he exhaled and said, "Amy, just let me dance horribly in peace."

She knew she wasn't going to get anything out of him. Not now. Maybe he was just humoring her anyways. Yet, there was a feeling she was trying hard to ignore that didn't want him to be kidding. "Fine. For now," Amy consented, resting her head on the Doctor's shoulder and feeling the gentle sway of their two bodies moving together in time with the music, losing themselves until the song was over and they stepped back, reluctantly. Rory took his rightful place next to Amy on the dance floor, next to his wife.

Another slow song faded in and the Doctor looked on at the couple dancing. "2,000 years," he said to himself, "The boy who waited. Good on ya, mate."

The perfectness of Rory's and Amy's moment looked much brighter than the one the Doctor shared with her in the Doctor's eyes. They belonged together and he was just going to get in the way like he had with Mickey and Rose. He just wished it wasn't so hard to ignore his feelings for Amy. The old man turned around and headed back out to his TARDIS, where he didn't have to see that the girl he was falling in love with was obviously happier with another man.

The night was chilly and there were a few people still outside, so the Doctor kept a little cheer in his step as he walked off to the TARDIS. Would they come back for him? Would they notice he was gone? Would they still want to travel with a batty, old man like him when they had a life of their own to start? The Doctor pushed these questions away, waiting for when he got inside and grabbed out his keys.

"Did you dance?" a voice asked, calling from the darkness, "Well, you always dance at weddings, don't you?"

The Doctor turned to see River. Ah, another girl who didn't make sense in his life. And this one was single. It'd be a little less bad if he couldn't resist her, seeing as River wasn't tied down to a fiance like Amy. And she was like Amy in so many ways. They were both headstrong, flirtatious, and had a strange power over the Doctor that he both was thrilled by and feared. "You tell me," he smiled. Why did weddings make people so desperate for love? Because he found himself wanting it, wanting it from _anyone, _just to distract it from the fact that the girl he wanted had just tied the knot with one of the most wonderful, deserving men the Doctor had ever met.

"Spoilers!" River gasped, a knowing smile on her lips. He couldn't have Amy. And he had a feeling that he had River sometime in the future. The Doctor was so tired of being alone. He was so tired of seeing his companions live and have closeness that he hadn't had in centuries. Why not cut to the chase?

"Are you married River?" the Doctor asked, a flirtatious look in his eye, slinking towards the mysterious blonde.

"Are you asking?"

"Yes."

**PS: So far, I have 19 chapters written, and there's PLENTY more comin'. And I have my own story line all figured out for when we get past series 6. Hopefully, you'll like it!**


	11. Growing Up

**Hey! This is after the wedding and is the debut of Rory and Amy's childhood friend! Oh, and that song is coming into play. You know... The creepy one from "Night Terrors"? THAT ONE! Enjoy(: **

"He was at the wedding?" Mels, Amy's childhood friend, asked incredulously. She seemed to be a bit more than Amy expected her to be. Mels hadn't gone to Rory's and Amy's wedding, insisting that weddings weren't really her thing, but Amy was still a little hurt. Mels and the Doctor were Amy's best friends other than Rory, and she felt like they both should be there. But neither got to see her walk down the aisle. She was also a little hurt that the only part of the wedding her best friend was interested in was the presence of Amy's supposed imaginary friend.

Ever since the night he showed up in Amy's life, she had been obsessed. She told Rory and Mels the whole story numerous times and made them play dolls and dress up, coming up with stories and adventures that she'd have with her mysterious visitor of the night. Rory had never really gotten interested in any of it, only doing it because Amy wanted him to, and he would go to the end of the world for her... Well, technically, he'd go much farther than that. Mels, though, got just as obsessed as Amy. She wanted to know _everything_ about the Doctor. Amy just thought that she was mystified and curious, wanting to have her adventures with him, but what Mels was really doing with the information was storing it for later. She was storing it for when she'd meet the Doctor. And kill him.

"Yeah," Amy nodded. They were both sitting on her big, soft sofa in the living room of hers and Rory's new flat. It was actually quite nice, considering the low budget they had. After the Doctor dropped them off from their honeymoon planet, Amy and Rory had settled down into the domestic life, organizing the house and being a married couple. That day, Amy had just finished the last of the boxes. It had been two months, but they'd worked hard. Still, Mels could see something that Amy was oblivious to, something that maybe Rory _chose_ to be oblivious to. Their space was so... Blank. It really showed no character at all. The walls were all white, pictures in generic frames that hung up all over the wall with smiling faces of friends and family. But nothing recent, except for the wedding picture in the living room. All the furniture was purely functional. Mels knew why, too. This wasn't their home. The TARDIS was. This was what they used as some pit stop when the Doctor left them for his own adventures.

"Wait, was that the guy who was dancing with everyone?" Mels asked, remembering a few of their other friends mentioning a strange man being there. They had never said anything about the blue box appearing in the dance floor.

"Oh my God!" Amy grinned, holding back laughter to tell the story, "Yes! He danced with _everyone. _And by "everyone," I mean _everyone_."

"Yeah, I heard that part," Mels said in an ominous tone that made Amy very suspicious of what she had heard.

"What? What did you hear?" Amy narrowed her eyes, drawing her legs up to touch her chest.

"Just that Rory sat on the sidelines looking on with jealousy as his new wife pranced around and made google-y eyes at a mysterious, charming fella."

"That's not true!" she cried, digging her nails into the skin of her wrists. She hadn't made google-y eyes, had she? Rory wasn't still jealous, was he? Amy wanted to smack her forehead. She couldn't have ruined their _wedding day_! She hadn't meant to! It had meant so much to Rory, _ so, so_ much and she had ruined it all! Amy felt so horrible. "Who said that?"

"Helen," Mels smiled, loving the crazy reaction she was getting from Amy.

"Helen's fancied Rory since we were twelve," Amy pointed out.

"Yeah? And you've fancied the Doctor since you were seven," she retorted. _Come on, Mother. You're not making the right choice!_ she thought. Amy and Rory were actually her parents and Mels was really Melody Pond, but nobody knew that. Not yet. Mels knew her own destiny: kill the Doctor. And a part of her actually believed that he deserved to die. All that power, and yet there was still evil, tears, and pain scattered all across history. Where was he all those times? Playing around in his stupid, blue box making sweet promises of adventure and excitement to little girls like her mother? Like Mels, herself? Why hadn't he ever come back for her? Why hadn't he saved her from that hell hole that was her childhood?

Yet the tales that Amy told... They told a different story. How the Doctor never used a weapon, just his screwdriver and brains... Amy told her how he's saved whole civilizations, whole galaxies, and just recently, the whole universe. Amy told her of the pain and guilt that crippled him sometimes for the ones that got left behind. Ones like Mels. Did he ever feel guilty for not coming back for her? The Doctor that Amy described was so different from the Doctor she was brainwashed into thinking, and that contrast irked her. Was she killing the savior of many? Or killing a silly, childish man filled with lies and empty promises?

"Mels, it's not like that any-" Amy started to explain.

"I know for a fact that you and Rory belong together," she interrupted. Mels knew what she had to do. She was going to kill the Doctor, leaving her mother, her best friend in a very vulnerable, depressed state. Though Mels wasn't too into dealing with the feelings of others, she cared about Amy. So, she was going to break Amy's faith and love in the Doctor. It needed to be done, and maybe by the time Mels got her hands on the Time Lord, he would be just a memory to her best friend. "You're going to have children and be the happiest little couple in Leadworth."

"But I don't think I'm ready to settle down into Leadworth yet," Amy sighed, "It all sounds a bit boring if you ask me."

"So, you're just going to spend the rest of your days in a time machine with some old madman? Rory _loves _you. Always has. He's always been there for you. Has the Doctor? No."

"That's not fair! He didn't mean to!" she argued, feeling a little offended for the Doctor, "And I know that Rory loves me. I love him too. But there's so much out there. You just don't know! I mean, how can I pass up Mars in 5607 for a quiet life in Upper Leadworth?"

"Because Rory will be waiting in that boring, old village. And I'll visit to spice things up a bit!" Mels replied, "You have to stop with the blind faith in the Doctor, Amy. It's time to grow up."

Amy looked down at her hands, remembering how Rory had said almost the exact same thing while stuck between dream worlds.

"_We have to grow up sometime," said Rory._

"_Yeah?" she replied, "Says who?"_

Amy still fully trusted that crazy, old man. No one could break that. But Mels was right about one thing. Maybe it _was_ time to grow up. For Rory. He'd done so much for her... So much. It was her turn. Why did he have to want something she wanted nothing to do with?

"'_Tick-tock' goes the clock..."_

Amy looked at the TV, then listened all around her, wondering where that had come from. It was a nursery rhyme, or so it sounded like, being sung by two children. It was slow and haunting and unexplained, which scared Amy the most. "Did you hear that?" Amy asked Mels, looking all around her.

"Hear what?" Mels clearly didn't know what she was talking about.

"Never mind. It was probably the telly or something."

"'_Tick-tock' goes the clock."_

… Maybe not.


	12. Summer's Gone Away

**Hey! I've been reading some other stories and I was like "Ugh. I miss mine. Imma go update it right now!" Hence this(: This is when Rory and Amy receive that mysterious blue envelope. It's kinda short, but I'm sure I'll post relatively soon. :P Enjoy, my beautiful readers!**

"What's that?" Rory asked, peering at the blue envelope that Amy held.

Unlike her husband, she'd gotten it very easily. "An invitation," she murmured, "Look. TARDIS blue..." There was a time and place set. They were to go to Utah, some place in America on the Doctor's orders. Although Amy had just gotten done telling Rory that two months wasn't really that long, seeing that envelope made Amy realize just how tense she had been since he'd dropped them off back at Earth in late June, just a few days after their wedding. There was a tiny feeling in the pit of her stomach that he wasn't coming back for them. But she was wrong. Because he _always _came back, sooner or later.

"Get packing, Rory," Amy barked, heading to their bedroom to her closet. Over the summer, she had really developed a thing for plaid. Now that she was married, she felt the short skirts were something else that needed moving forward from. She took out her bags, tingling in anticipation to see her Doctor again.

"Does he just expect us to get up and leave this minute? Look! The plane ticket says we have to be there in an hour!" Rory whined, dragging off towards his own dressers and backpack.

"Of course," Amy smiled, "He's the Doctor."

When they were finally done, Amy phoned her mum and dad saying that they were going out of town and that the Doctor may or may not be involved. Augustus still had issues with the man after the wedding reception. Rory phoned his own parents, asking them to watch after the house. They grabbed everything they would possibly need, and were out at the airport with ten minutes to spare.

"I wonder why he didn't just take us in the TARDIS," Rory wondered aloud as they secured their seats. It would save a lot of time and money... Well, maybe not money. He wasn't sure how the Doctor paid for anything, except for that he could pay for everything.

"Hm. Good question," Amy sighed, "I'm just glad we're back on the road."

"I was actually starting to get used to the normal life."

Amy didn't want normal, despite her attempt to, despite what Mels had told her. She should try and keep Rory happy. After all, how long had he been doing the same thing for her? Dressing up as a strange man and forcing him to eat fish fingers and custard, just to live out her fantasy of the night... Rory hadn't even wanted to go on the TARDIS in the first place. But he knew Amy was going to be there for a long time. Alone with her beloved Raggedy Doctor.

She loved Rory, she really did. But what he wanted... Leadworth... Settling down... It was all so scary for her. Scarier, maybe, than even the Daleks, maybe even pretty close to the Weeping Angels. Amy ignored what Rory said, ignored those negative, unsure thoughts because they couldn't be answered. Instead, she put a cheery smile on her face, "I wonder what he's got in store for us this time!" And with that, the plane began to take off towards New York, where they would take another plane to Utah, where they'd take a bus to "Stop #5." The Doctor had something up his sleeve, Amy just wasn't sure what.

"'_Tick-tock' goes the clock  
>And what now shall we play?<br>'Tick-tock' goest the clock  
>Now summer's gone away."<em>

"Rory, did you hear that?" Amy asked, finding the tune familiar, the children's voices familiar... She'd heard them before, when Mels was over.

"Hear what?"

"Nothing. Probably just a little nervous. Never flown in an airplane before," Amy laughed, dismissing the idea of the song. Maybe it was coming from her headphones or something. Or maybe there were kids on the plane and they were singing it. "Must say, it's a little rougher than the TARDIS."

_"'Tick-tock' goes the clock  
>And what now shall we play?<br>'Tick-tock' goes the clock  
>Now summer's gone away."<em>

**PS: I was reading a story and this girl did this. It's "Ratings out of Ten" by TwilightHayley (another Eleven/Amy romance and definitely a good read if you're looking) and she gave all the reviewers a sneak peek to her next chapter. So, if you review this chapter, I'll do the same(: Because I love reviews. They warm my heart! 3**


	13. Lost

**_ Flashback**

Amy Pond's world collapsed on April 22nd, 2011 at 5:02 PM. The moment the Doctor fell. The scene kept playing over and over in her head. It all had started out with a nice picnic. Then, a man in a truck stopped by and an astronaut rose from the waters of Lake Silencio. _"You all need to stay back. Whatever happens now, you do not interfere. Clear?" _Nobody would have stopped him anyways. They didn't know what would happen to him, what that astronaut was going to do. They just looked on, confused as the Doctor walked over and began talking to the Apollo astronaut. Then, a green flash and a loud boom.

"Doctor!" Amy ran down the beach, but River and Rory were already there, already holding her back. She didn't even hear their warnings and pleas to not go any further. She only saw him. She saw his eyes wet with tears, a wispy yellow light streaming from his hands and face. "Doctor!" she screamed, louder than she had ever screamed before.

"I'm sorry," he said. Amy couldn't hear him, but she could read his lips as those magical green eyes bore into hers for the last time.

Regeneration light shot forth from the Doctor. Amy had never seen anything quite like it. So beautiful, yet so... Dangerous. She had a feeling she couldn't go near him, but she wanted to help him. She _had_ to help him! Then, another bang followed by several more, taking the light and life from his body. The Doctor had died. The last Time Lord in the whole universe had died.

**_ Flash-Foward**

That had all happened at least an hour ago, but for Amy, it was replaying over and over, making her feel like it had only just happened. She watched as the boat floated farther and farther away from the sandy beaches of Lake Silencio, watching the flames lick the air and light up the dark sky like a giant campfire.

"Amy," Rory whispered, grabbing her hand in his, "Amy, it'll be alright."

_How can he say that?_ Amy thought furiously, _And why isn't he crying? An amazing man has died before his eyes. Why. Isn't. Anyone. Crying?_ Nobody was crying. River was on the verge, but she held back every single drop. As for Amy, she would still be crying if she could. Her tear ducts were completely dry, and it hurt to even try and form the tears. She had cried every last tear she had for her Raggedy Doctor.

Amy didn't respond, only releasing her hand from Rory's grasp and crossing her arms so he couldn't try again. She didn't have words. Not anymore. Amy was in complete shock. The little girl who waited all night in her garden, little Amelia Pond, was lost without her Raggedy Doctor.

She looked back out to the boat, resisting an urge to swim out there, to lay her body next to his and hold him until they were both completely eaten by the flames. How was she going to survive without her Doctor? How was the whole universe going to survive without him? Their only hero had just been killed.

"Come on," River said, quietly, unable to watch a second more of her husband's corpse burn inside a boat in Utah of all places. Amy wanted to lash out at her. How was she not hysterical? How was River's face and makeup perfectly dry, while Amy had mascara trails running down her cheeks? Because no one cared like Amy, or at least that was her assumption. He had been such a big part of her life... And he wasn't coming back this time.

The three drove back to the old '50s diner, trying to make sense of what they should do next, brainstorming on what the envelopes and the numbers could possibly mean. Amy couldn't take it though, and for the first time since the Doctor died, the redhead spoke. "Will you two shut up?" she whispered, barely loud enough for even her to hear, "It doesn't matter."

They continued talking, not hearing Amy. "He's dead." It was the first time she had admitted it, and it felt so strange, so cold on her tongue. She looked up at them and spoke a little louder, "You're still talking, but it doesn't matter."

"Hey," Rory argued. He was worried about Amy, but right then was not the time for a breakdown. She needed to help them make sense of the whole situation. Amy knew how that complicated, old man operated. "It mattered to him."

"So it matters to us," River agreed.

"He's dead," Amy whispered again. She felt herself losing it, but didn't even make an attempt to try and stop her sanity from slipping away. It didn't matter. She didn't have to be sane for anyone. Without the Doctor protecting them, they'd all die soon anyways. How many aliens had he stopped from invading Earth? A lot. And who was going to save them now? Nobody.

"But he still needs us," River pointed out, hoping Amy would snap out of it. But River knew how Amy loved the Doctor. She knew that this was more, and what River was feeling right at that point was exactly the same as Amy, except that River had the willpower to hold it in. "Amy, I know. _I know._ But right now, we have to focus."

Rory looked away, not wanting to see Amy's crazed expression anymore when his eye caught a familiar color of blue. "Look," he said, pointing at the empty table and the open invitation that matched all theirs. River rushed over to look, Rory questioned the man behind the counter, but Amy just stood there. It didn't matter because even if he had given them a job, they wouldn't be able to do it without him. River started talking about how it was the end for the Doctor, how he knew, and why he'd invite people: they were those that he trusted most. And who was the person that the Doctor trusted most? As soon as Amy really asked the question, she knew the answer. And right when she had pieced the answer together, they heard a door creak open, looked up, and saw _him_. The Doctor. With his stupid bow-tie, his stupid jacket, his stupid brown hair, and those stupid, stupid green eyes pointing at them all with that stupid smile on his stupid face.

"This is cold. Even by your standards, this is cold!" River said in shock, not wanting to believe what was in front of her eyes. Surely a trick?

"Or 'hello' as people used to say," the Doctor replied, cheerfully. He hadn't a clue why the three of them were there, but he assumed they, too, had been invited by the mysterious sender.

"Doctor," Amy breathed. He really had come back... He _always _came back! But... Surely it was impossible. She watched the light leave his eyes. She watched his body fall, lifeless, to the ground. She watched his unmoving chest. She watched his body burn on Lake Silencio. She walked a circle around him, making sure she hadn't completely lost it. The Doctor looked at her, curiously, saying something about his special straw. _This can't be him, can it?_ She touched his bow-tie. Definitely real. "You're okay," Amy let out a shaky laugh of relief, a laugh that sincerely worried the Doctor, "How can you be okay?"

"Hey, of course I'm okay," the Doctor said, consolingly, embracing his Amy Pond into a hug that made her feel ten times better. And ten times more confused. He glanced quickly at Rory and River but both avoided eye contact. What was wrong with the bunch? "I'm always okay. I'm the king of 'Okay.' Oh... That's a rubbish title. Forget that title!"

Amy just stared at him as he made his rounds and said hello to everyone, receiving a nervous hug from Rory and a slap in the face from River, a much deserved slap in the face. He had invited them to see him die. How could he not know the pain and sadness that Amy would feel, knowing that she was right there but couldn't stop any of it?

And then, as he guided them all back to to the blue box, Amy could hear the nursery rhyme again, echoing throughout her ears. _What is this?_ she though, squeezing her eyes shut, hoping for it to go away. The Doctor was back, so why was she feeling so crazy?

"'_Tick-tock' goes the clock..." _Amy's eyes widened. Why was she hearing things? This wasn't just random. This was the third time where no one had heard it and it seemed to come from nowhere. Was she really starting to lose it?

"'_Tick-tock' goes the clock..."_


	14. On Fish Fingers & Custard

**Hey! Thanks for the reviews! I appreciate every single one of them! This is the second part of the last chapter(: The Doctor takes a big step with Amy. So... Yeah! Don't have much to say this time! Enjoy! **

The Doctor was off on another one of his speeches showing off just how much he knew with the little information that was given. Yet, nobody seemed impressed. Rory looked confused,which really wasn't that different, but River... River looked very stony. Like she was hiding something. And Amy wasn't paying a single amount of attention to him at all. He hadn't seen them since their honeymoon and had really planned on a more... Happy reunion.

He noticed Amy slip down to the bottom of the TARDIS with River at her heels. What was going on? "Rory," the Doctor asked, kindly, "Is everyone cross with me for some reason?"

"I'll find out," Rory lied, heading downstairs to the girls.

The Doctor continued pulling a series of buttons and levers, but was growing rather impatient. So many questions... Who invited them? Why didn't he know? What was with the slap from River? Why did Amy look like she'd been crying all day? What was their mission? He gave them five minutes, hoping Rory had gotten something in that amount of time. "I am being extremely clever up here and there's no one to stand around looking impressed!" cried the Doctor, head popping down to check the situation underneath the TARDIS' belly, "What's the point in having you all?"

The three came up to the console room, listening to the Doctor go on about space and time and the TARDIS, as usual. It was like things were back to normal, like he never left in the first place. "Washington DC, April the Eighth, 1969," Amy read from the screen, "So, why haven't we landed?"

"'Cause that's not where we're going," the Doctor swiftly replied.

"Where are we going?" Rory asked.

"Home. Well, you two are. Off to go and make babies. And River Song goes back to prison," he explained, pacing before finally setting down into a comfy chair,"As for me, I'm late for a bi-plane lesson in 1911... Or it could be knitting. Knitting or bi-planes. It's one or the other."

There wasn't any laughter. Honestly, nobody was in the mood. He crossed his legs and rubbed his forehead, vexed at the whole situation. He heard their footsteps get closer and looked up. "What?" the Doctor demanded, like they were stupid, "A mysterious summon? You think I'm just going to go?" For some reason, he heard a brief laugh escape him. "Who sent those messages?" he asked. There was silence. The Doctor looked around at all three of them, "I know you know. I can see it in your faces. Don't play games with me. Don't you ever, ever think you're capable of that."

Amy didn't like his tone at all. He sounded so dark... So mighty. Like he knew just how scary he could be and was warning them all not to find out. "You're going to have to trust us this time," River finally said, the only one out of the three brave enough to open their mouths at that point.

"Trust you? Sure, but first of all, Dr. Song, just one thing: who are you? You're someone from my future. Getting that, but who?" It was the one question she couldn't answer, so the woman held her tongue. "Okay, why are you in prison? Who did you kill? Hm? You know I love a bad girl, me. But trust you? Seriously..."

The words cut River's heart into shreds. She was so tired of never telling him anything, of getting to know him so much more but have him know her so much less. She wanted to answer the questions. She wanted the Doctor to be able to trust her. But she couldn't answer those questions. Not yet. Spoilers.

Amy stepped forward, knowing just how much it must have offended River. "Trust me," she piped up.

The Doctor turned his gaze from River to Amy, his beloved Amy Pond. He knew he could trust her ten times- no, one hundred times more than he could River at this point. "Okay," the Doctor murmured, walking towards Amy, and looking straight into her eyes. He missed those eyes, despite the puffiness they had now. He hadn't realized just how much until that moment.

"You _have_ to do this. And you can't ask why."

"Are you being threatened?" the Doctor asked, seriously considering it, "Is someone making you say that?" Amy told him everything. They were best friends. He knew all her secrets and she knew... Well, she knew more than anyone else. Except for River, but she was always the exception. Why would she ask him to do this, to go against every instinct he had? Why?

"No," Amy answered.

"You're lying," he accused.

"I'm not lying." _I would never lie to you._ He saw it in her eyes. She wasn't. His Amelia Pond would never lie to her Raggedy Doctor. Ever. She may not _tell_ him certain information, like her getting married, the torture of the star whale, looking into the eyes of a Weeping Angel... They'd done that to one another plenty of times.

"Swear to me. Swear to me on something that matters."

Amy lips curved into a small smile, instantly knowing what to say, exactly what thing she would swear upon, "Fish fingers and custard."

The Doctor stared at her for a long while. This went against everything he knew and believed. Then, he had a flashback of Amy comforting him after the Dream Lord had tricked them. _"Someday, I want you to trust me as much as I trust you. Deal?"_ And he had agreed. "My life in your hands, Amelia Pond." It was the most he had ever given anyone, and she realized just how big this was. It scared her to death.

"Thank you," River smiled, softly, hiding a pang of jealousy that she was starting to get used to feeling as she kept getting earlier and earlier into the Doctor's time stream.

They all got back into mission-mode, but Amy stood in the same exact spot. His life was in her hands. If he died, it would be all on her... So shouldn't she tell him? No. The Doctor was alive, and he would find a way out. He always did.

Then, the song came back. The same children. The same melody. The same tune. Different words. And they played over and over again in Amy's head.

"'_Tick-tock' goes the clock._

_We laughed at Fate and mourned her._

'_Tick-tock' goes the clock, _

_Even for the Doctor._"

"No, not again," Amy whispered. What did it all mean? And did it just mention the Doctor? She listened closer, growing sadder and more worried once she realized what the song was saying. He would die... "You're wrong," Amy hissed, low so the others couldn't hear, "I'll save him!"

Still, the children continued to sing their haunting song.

"'_Tick-tock' goes the clock._

_We laughed at Fate and mourned her._

'_Tick-tock' goes the clock, _

_Even for the Doctor..."_

__**Please review!(: I'd enjoy it ever so much!**


	15. Almost the Doctor

**Hey! This is from the episode "The Almost People" when the Doctor has to deal with Amy picking favorites and being all mean to him because he's "not the Doctor." Oh, foolish Pond. Foolish, foolish Pond(:**

**I don't in any way own Doctor Who... Though I wish I did. And that's it!**

**Enjoy, my precious readers! ENJOY! **

Was it possible to be jealous of one's self? Because the Doctor felt himself starting to feel just that. All day, Amy had been acting very distant towards him. He watched as she joked and laughed and showered attention on his Ganger, thinking that _he _was the real Doctor. Was this how they always interacted with one another? Was this how it looked to Rory? The Doctor was starting to understand just how flirty they were and was completely understanding all Rory's jealous remarks. He wanted her to look at him like that, with the warmth and sparkle and kindness and love that Amy always looked at him with. Instead, they were cold and empty as she scanned across his face. He wasn't her Raggedy Doctor anymore.

"Doctor?" the Ganger said, clearing his throat and moving his chair over to the Doctor, who was seated on a red barrel, confined there from lack of trust. He'd lost everyone's trust. Worst yet, he'd lost Amy's trust.

"Yes, Doctor?" he replied, stonily. Amy was outside with Miranda, thinking that fresh air would help the woman's massive headache. Amy didn't know what was really wrong with her. The others were off on the other side of the room, conversing about getting out and holding their loved ones close and all that. The two Doctors had complete privacy where they were at.

"Switch me shoes," the Ganger commanded, starting to untie his own. The Doctor could see that this pained him. It was all in his eyes, more than just the pain from the Flesh. He didn't want to switch with him.

"No," he shook his head, "I'm fine."

"You're lying," the Ganger accused, "We can all see that you're upset. And I understand. Amy is special. I... We love her. Believe me. I love her just as much as you. But those words are for me, not you. You don't want this."

"Neither do you." That was the first time he'd ever said it aloud, had ever even fully thought it. _I love Amy Pond_. Though it wasn't the Doctor who said it, it was his voice that he heard, and he counted it. "I can handle it," he sighed, "They need to know, know that you are just as much the Doctor as I am. Every Ganger is just as rea-"

"Doctor!" Amy cried, bursting through the doors. Both men looked towards her, but it was the Ganger she smiled at, just passing over the Doctor with cold dislike. He had never seen that look in her eyes until tonight, and he hoped he'd never have to see it again. The Doctor looked away to hide the stinging in his eyes as the Ganger looked on sympathetically. "Do you think Rory's alright? I feel bad just sitting here."

"He'll be fine," the Ganger answered, "It's not him they want. They won't hurt our little Roranicus."

"Not while Jennifer's with him, anyways," the Doctor added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Amy asked, her voice _so _icy.

"Oh, nothing. Just that he ran off to spend possibly his last moments with Jennifer, a girl he just met... Instead of his wife, the woman he's known since he was 7." The Doctor was growing angry, though he tried his hardest to fight it. It was the Flesh mostly, but there was still some personal feeling in there as well. He'd already freaked out on her, and didn't want to make it worse. Yet, the words kept coming.

"Doctor," the Ganger warned, giving him a look that told him to calm down. The Flesh had formed some sort of telepathic link with the Doctor and the Ganger could feel a portion of what he was experiencing.

"I am _really _starting to not like you," she muttered, moving closer to the Ganger.

"Don't take any of this to heart." The Ganger put a comforting hand on Amy's arm, and the Doctor had an overwhelming urge to rip it off. "That's the Flesh's anger."

"He _is _the Flesh!" Amy argued.

"Technically, no" the Ganger admitted, "He's made of the Flesh, but every other part of him is the Doctor."

"Or 'almost the doctor,'" he growled, "Isn't that right, Pond?"

"I told you not to call me th-"

"I will call you what I please!" the Doctor exploded. The anger was overwhelming and he couldn't control a single thing coming out of his mouth. He'd never been so mad at Amy, not since that brief moment on England's starship. Even then... It didn't compare to the boiling rage he had right at that moment. Why didn't she love him? How could she possibly mistake his Ganger for the real thing? Why wouldn't she _look_ at him and see?

"You can't be the Doctor," Amy hissed, "Not even _almost_ the Doctor. And you know what? Rory loves me! And I love him! He'd never do that to me, nor I him!"

"Really?" he smiled, cockily, voice quiet, "What about Space Florida?"

Amy's jaw dropped, as did the Ganger's. That was something they never wanted to talk about, something they both did their best to ignore and forget. Even the Doctor regretted saying anything, but he wasn't in control. "I-I" Amy stammered, "I didn't even know that he existed! Besides, we didn't do anything."

"But we almost did," he continued, "And what about the the night in your bedroom? Before your wedding? You knew he existed then."

"I was scared! You said so yourself."

"Rule one: the Do-" the Doctor began.

"Shut up, both of you!" the Ganger interrupted. He knew the lack of control of the situation. He knew some things were about to come out of the Doctor's mouth that none of them were ready for. He had shared the same belief that two Doctors would really help things along, but they were both wrong. So very, very wrong. "Amy, go tell Miranda to come inside. We're not just going to sit here all night."

Amy walked off angrily to the doors as the Doctor exchanged looks with his Ganger. The Doctor gave one of gratitude, feeling his anger start to subside just as quickly as it had formed, but the Ganger just looked back with sad smile. As Amy walked out, she tried to get her thoughts in order. _I love Rory_, she thought, _He's the only one. The Doctor is just a friend. Nothing romantic at all. I've moved past my childhood crush, just like Mels told me to._ She repeated it over and over in her head until she absolutely, without a doubt, believed it again.


	16. Poking the Flames

**In the spirit of Christmas, I've decided to post a little earlier than planned(: This is still in "The Almost People" and shows a little bit of the aftermath after the Doctor turns Amy into a puddle of Flesh goo. Enjoy!**

"Doctor, I am frightened," Amy said, eyes confused and filling with tears, "I'm properly, properly scared."

"Don't be," the Doctor replied, trying to console her. She wouldn't have anyone to comfort her for awhile after this, "We're coming for you, I swear. Whatever happens, however hard, however far, we will find you."

"I'm right here," she whispered.

"No, you're not." He couldn't stand this. He didn't want to send her away to some unknown hell to face her kidnappers while going through labor. He was so filled with guilt. How could he let this happen to her? Why didn't he protect her better? "You haven't been here for a long, long time."

The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at her, knowing this would be for the best. He'd find her. He'd save her, just like he always had. Then, Amy melted into a puddle of Flesh, leaving the two men that loved her most in this universe behind in shock and sadness.

"Amy? Amy!" Rory cried, running over to the puddle of ooze that was once his wife, falling to his knees, "No! No! What happened? Tell me what happened, Doctor!"

The Doctor stood in the same spot, sonic still in the air, frozen except for his chest moving up and down from the breaths that would surely turn into sobs if he didn't make an effort to hold it all in. "That was a Ganger, more or less. Much more advanced than what we saw today," he explained, slowly lowering his arm, "Amy was seeing it, controlling it. It was more like a Flesh avatar if you will."

"Where is she now?"

"I don't know exactly," the Doctor admitted, "But wherever she is... She's giving birth to your firstborn child, alone, with only strangers there to do with her what they will."

"Why'd they take her? What are they going to do with her?" Rory asked, frantically, tears running down his cheeks.

"I can't answer any of those, Rory. But I promised. We _will _find her. And when we do, whoever took her is going to be _very_ sorry that they messed with a friend of the Doctor's." He was so angry, so angry with himself for putting her in danger like that, angry that Rory couldn't protect her better when the Doctor left them, angry that he left them in the first place, angry with whoever was stupid enough to kidnap his Amelia Pond. Someone was going to pay.

**A FEW HOURS LATER...**

Once Rory had wiped his tears, he headed off to bed to escape reality and be with Amy in his dreams. But the Doctor, try as he might, couldn't go to sleep so easily. He knew what would be in those dreams: only nightmares showing the possibilities of what was happening to Amy, all because of him. He could already hear the Dream Lord cackling in the back of his mind.

Instead, he paced circles around the console, drinking piping hot green tea. Yes, _green_ tea. Every sip disgusted him, but he couldn't help it. She needed to be around somewhere, even in the form of a mug. He stared at the puddle of Flesh, which still sat on the floor near the TARDIS' entrance. Neither Rory nor the Doctor were willing to clean it up just yet.

The worst part, aside from his hurt ego, was the lack of knowledge of the situation. The Doctor didn't have a clue on who was behind this, making Amy's survival chances unknown as well. Once again, someone the Doctor loved was in danger, and it might just be his fault.

"I'll find you, Amy Pond," he muttered to himself, throwing back the last of that disgusting drink, "No matter where you are. They'll pay." And while the Doctor poked the flames of his anger, Melody Pond was born into the world, the first half-Timelady to be born in centuries.


	17. You Found Me

**Hey! Sorry for the delay. The computer I usually use kinda... Broke. ^_^ But I'm getting my own soon! I think I'll post maybe two or three tonight because of my absence. So... Yeah(: HAPPY NEW YEARS! **

When the Doctor first saw Amy, his knees almost buckled in relief and happiness. He'd found her. He'd found his brilliant Amelia Pond. And there she was with her baby... And kissing Rory. It was expected. They were married. They loved each other. Still, a part of the Doctor wished he could do just the same. Because that was exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted to rush in and sweep her off her feet into a passionate kiss, but instead, he had to say something like, "Ew. Kissing _and _crying. I-I'll be back in a bit."

"Oi," Rory said, voice strong. Amy's absence had strengthened him, turning him, in the Doctor's opinion, a hero worth Amy's love, "You. Get in here. Now."

He didn't need a second to consider it. He wanted to see their baby, see Amy and hold her close. He missed everything about her and here she was. The Doctor looked down at the little baby in Rory's arms. _So beautiful. Just like it's mummy,_ the Doctor thought, then joked, _Thank Heavens it didn't get Rory's nose._

"My daughter," Rory murmured, so happy to be a father. This was what he always wanted. Of course, he hadn't expected such circumstances, but having Amy and their child in his arms... That was what he wanted from the first time he laid eyes on her all those years ago. The Doctor pointed excitedly, looking back up at Amy and giving her a look of congratulations. "What do you think?"

"Hello!" The Doctor then realized he didn't know her name, "Hello... Uh... Baby."

"Oh, it's Melody," Amy said.

"Melody?" The Doctor smiled. What a perfect name! Almost as perfect as Amelia Pond, "Hello, Melody Pond."

"Melody _Williams_," Rory corrected, wondering what was so wrong with the last name "Williams."

"That's the name of a geography teacher!" Amy argued, "Melody Pond is a superhero."

Oddly, the Doctor sniffed the newborn. She smelled familiar, something he had smelled quite often before, but was now mixed with the scent of baby. What was it? "Yes, well, I suppose she smells nice. Never really sniffed her. Maybe I should give it a go. Amelia Pond, come here!" he cried, embracing her. How long had it been since he'd _really _held her in his arms, not the Flesh avatar? He felt the softness of her skin, that pale skin that almost seemed to blend in with the walls of the room, stroking her hair, deeply inhaling the scent of that lavendar and sweet pea combination that he had missed so much, "Sorry we were so long!"

Amy's mind suddenly turned to mush at the Doctor's touch. It had been so long, too long. "It's okay," she nodded, parting from their embrace, yet still finding herself unable to speak properly, "I- I knew you guys were coming. Both of you. My boys."

Melody started to make some noises in Rory's arms, but the Doctor understood every word she said, "_Great. Competition. Big Milk Thing is _mine!"

"It's okay," he responded, "She's still all yours. And, really, you should call her 'mummy.' Not 'Big Milk Thing.'"

Amy and Rory exchanged confused looks. "Okay. What are you doing?" she asked.

"I speak Baby," he replied, as simply as if he'd said he had oatmeal for breakfast.

"No... You don't." Amy missed her crazy Doctor.

"I speak everything," the Doctor reminded her, turning back to Melody, "Don't I, Melody Pond?"

"_How unfortunate that the only one to understand me wears that strange thing around his neck_," Melody sighed, coming out as complete babble to her parents, "_It's utterly ridiculous_."

"No it's not!" the Doctor said, adjusting his bow-tie, "It's cool."

Amy laughed. She loved Melody, and seeing her with the Doctor and Rory... She knew that her daughter would be the safest little girl in the universe. Little did she know how wrong that was.

"'_Tick-tock' goes the clock_

_He cradled and he rocked her._

'_Tick-tock' goes the clock_

'_Til River kills the Doctor." _

The voices. They were still there with Amy. This time, it only repeated itself one more time, so Amy wasn't exactly sure what it had said. Was that River's name in the song? What did it mean? She quickly dismissed it, though, because Melody had started crying, the Doctor saying she was hungry.

LATER ON...

Amy wanted an answer about those voices. She had a slight assumption that maybe they were like her seeing the creepy woman in the walls, and once she left this place behind, the voices would stop. They started when she was kidnapped, or around that time at least. Still, she wasn't sure. "Uh, but this is where I was?" Amy asked the Doctor, who was already turning away. Yet, as she spoke, he turned back around to face her, "The whole time I was on the TARDIS... I was really here?"

The Doctor looked at her carefully. He was so sorry for letting her be here for so long. It must have been horrible and confusing for her. "Uh, Centurion?" the Doctor looked at Rory, hesitantly, "Permission to hug?"

Rory shrugged, "But remember- I have a sword."

Amy laughed as the Doctor saluted him and replied, "At all times." He closed in the space between them, taking Amy back into his arms, rubbing her back comfortingly. "You were on the TARDIS, too. Your heart and mind... Your soul. But, physically, yes. You were still in this place."

"And when I saw that evil face looking through the hatch?" she continued, "That woman looking at me?"

"Reality bleeding through," the Doctor explained, "It must have taken you quite awhile back. Right before America." He continued moving his hands up and down her back, feeling the gentle hair tickle his skin. Amy's own arms tightened around his neck.

"That's probably enough hugging now," Rory interrupted, popping his head near the two, watching satisfied as the two seperated. "So, her Flesh avatar was with us that whole time?" he clarified, "But that means they were projecting a control signal right over the TARDIS... Wherever we were in time and space."

"Yeah. They're clever," the Doctor said.

"Who are?" Amy asked.

"Whoever wants our baby," Rory answered, knowing the Doctor didn't have a clue either.

"Who wants her?"

"Exactly," the Doctor replied.

"Is there anything you're not telling us?" Rory saw his answer as the Doctor smiled, though it wasn't such a wicked grin. It looked a little sad. "You knew Amy wasn't real and you never said."

"Well, I couldn't be sure they were listening," the Doctor explained.

"But you always hold out on us," Amy whined, "Please. Not this time. Doctor, it's our baby. Tell us _something_. Just one little thing."

The Doctor eyed them carefully for a second. He thought he had an idea on why they had the baby, why they wanted it so badly, and he didn't have the heart to tell them. Their innocent Melody Pond might just be a weapon of war. "It's mine."

Amy and Rory looked shocked and confused for a second, getting the wrong idea. She hadn't done anything, had she? She was so used to having things she forgot about... But... No. They didn't, did they? Rory's eyes almost popped out of his sockets. He didn't believe that Amy and the Doctor... No. They would never do that to him. "What?" Rory asked, so worried that he'd get the answer he was dreading.

"The cot," the Doctor replied, pointing towards the old, wooden crib,"It's my cot. I slept in that."

Amy and Rory let out a breath of relief. Amy was content, then. She had her baby and her boys and they were finally all together again. The voices were explained. Once they left Demon's Run, all that "bleeding reality" stuff would fade away. Surely, that's what the voices were right? Surely, that's why she was hearing things, right? Surely, it would all stop... Right?

Wrong. So wrong, Amy Pond. Nothing is over. It's just getting started.


	18. Forgetting Amelia Pond

**Hey! I *was* gonna post more last night but I didn't get the chance :P So, I'm posting two more stories today since I really don't know when I'll have another chance to get on the computer. If it helps you forgive me for the delay and such... I've been writing lots! Wrote #34-#46 from Christmas to today(: Yeah, that's right. I'm ahead of the game! Anyways, back to the story. This is after "A Good Man Goes To War." ENJOY! **

Melody Pond... Melody Pond was River Song, _the _River Song. Oh, it all made sense to the Doctor. All the pieces were starting to form together and he was loving it. He finally knew who the mysterious River Song was. The baby, Melody, the smell he couldn't quite place. It was hers. She smelled of vanilla and strawberries, just like River. How had he forgotten? Plus, River and Amy shared so many qualities: flirtatious, determined, clever, feisty. Both fascinating girls that had never quite made sense to the Doctor.

Still, River was different. She was more guarded than Amy, had more secrets. With Amy, the Doctor knew Amy told him anything and everything on her mind. It made it quite easier to return the favor. As for River, though... They were always playing "catch-up," and afraid of the spoilers. He still had feelings for Amy Pond, but he couldn't have her. He'd decided at the wedding that that was something that couldn't change- wouldn't change. He'd decided that embracing his future with River was the best thing to do. Now that he knew true identity, he was actually starting to warm up to the idea. Having River Song was the closest thing the Doctor would ever get to actually having Amy, and that was good enough for him. Besides, he'd always loved a bad girl.

He just needed to set those feelings for his redhead aside. He needed to forget that smile, that look of total admiration and trust she always looked at him with, that sweet dance at her wedding, that kiss in her bedroom, that almost-kiss... He needed to forget it all. Out with the old, and in with the new...

How many other memories had he suppressed over the years? Countless. But for some reason, these were much, much harder. Every time they hugged or held hands, every time his lips brushed the smooth skin on her forehead... Every touch sent shivers down his body and gave the Doctor a moment of sheer joy and excitement and wooziness. But he'd have to forget that. Maybe the necessary time apart would help. Of course, the last time the Doctor left, Amy had been kidnapped and replaced with a Flesh avatar that they wouldn't know about until 9 months later... _I should keep an eye on Leadworth_, the Doctor suddenly thought. He'd have to pick up a paper later.

"Oh, River Song," the Doctor chuckled to himself, "Such a bad girl. You always have something new up your sleeve." Now, he just had to find her.


	19. Little Green Monster

**Hola! This one takes place after "Let's Kill Hitler." Also: love the reviews that I'm getting(: They're super nice and really keep me motivated to keep publishing and writing all these chapters. So... Keep up with the reviews! Thanks and enjoy!**_  
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_Mels_, her best friend, was Amy's _daughter_, her own daughter. She was the mother of River Song! And her life's mission was to kill the Doctor, Amy's other best friend. Didn't River once hint at being the future Mrs. Doctor someday, though? Just that day, the Doctor had _proposed_. No... It just didn't make sense at all to Amy. She was going back through all the the memories she'd had with the only girl she'd ever truly gotten along with. All those secrets, all the those bailouts, all those sleep-overs. That was Mels. That was Melody. That was River Song.

As for the Doctor, he too was flashing back through his memories, though they were for a different reason entirely. He recognized the date and location on the the monitor screen, the day the Doctor would finally fall. It was the same date and location as the one printed on the mysterious, blue envelope sent by an unknown party, the envelope that started it all. Who had sent it? He was the only one that didn't know and still had no idea why it had to be kept from him.

"So, I have a question that's rather important, if you ask me," Rory announced, breaking the silence that had been inside the TARDIS for the last few hours, "How are we going to tell Mels' parents? Not us... The ones that raised her."

Amy shrugged, sitting up in her chair in the console room. "We'll figure it out. Not like we're going back for awhile."

"We're not?"

The question shocked all three of them. The Doctor stopped looking at the screen and peeked over from the other side of the console, trying to eavesdrop. Amy had frozen in place, staring blankly at Rory, which is what had Mr. Pond more confused than ever. It suddenly donned on Amy that what Mels had said was right. Rory wouldn't want to stay in the TARDIS forever. Sooner or later, he was going to want to go back to Leadworth, to return to that life on Earth before the Doctor.

"Do- Do you..." Amy stammered, nervously, "Do you want to?"

"Don't you?" Rory asked, "Amy, we were starting to settle down there. I know we were worried about Melody, but it turns out she was safe with us all along. Isn't that why we're here now? She's safe. We can go home."

_No. Not yet,_ the Doctor mentally begged Rory and Amy, hoping that one of them would somehow hear his thoughts, _Please don't leave me alone._ At that moment, he was honestly starting to hate Rory. He was taking away Amy, his best friend, the girl he loved, his fiery ginger. Should he stop this? Interfere before Amy said the one word that would send the Doctor's world tumbling down? But... He had promised himself that he wouldn't let them be another Mickey and Rose. Still... He couldn't just let them leave. He couldn't just let Amy leave.

"Rory, I-" she began to say.

"Who wants to see the moon in 2300?" the Doctor cut Amy off with a fake smile and excited tone. "Really quite lovely what you lot have done to the place."

Amy glanced back up at Rory, jutting her lower lip out and giving him her best puppy dog look. Rory just rolled his eyes and nodded, crushed under the will of his wife.

"Fine," he sighed," I guess we're back on the road."

"That's the spirit, Roranicus!" the Doctor cried, cheerfully. He ran over to the controls, pulling the necessary levers to take them to their next destination. "Ah! What a wonderful day! Met Hitler, had the TARDIS get shot at, got poisoned, died, came back to life, saw someone regenerate other than me... Should've expected it. My first date with River Song. Now, that's one to tell the grandchildren."

Amy knew the Doctor was only kidding, but still she averted her gaze down to her boots, feeling something she hadn't felt in awhile: jealousy. She didn't mean to, but it was all so very odd that River was Mels and Mels was Melody, that her own daughter would be with the Doctor. Amy had _kissed _him, had tried seducing him several times, and was having some questionable feelings for him at that very moment.

She honestly loved Rory, but she always found that she also had feelings for the Doctor as well, and a lot of the times, she wanted to pick the Doctor. Amy had started getting good at hiding it, at simply dismissing them, but River had woken up a little green monster in that Scottish woman. The Doctor was falling in love with River and Amy just stood back and watched.

Why didn't he want Amy? What was the difference? When she had kissed him, the Doctor said that they couldn't do it because she was human. But so was River. She had lost her regeneration powers for the Doctor, becoming fully human just like her parents. Yet, it was okay for him to fall in love with _her_?

"'_Tick-tock; goes the clock..." _Amy heard a child whisper, followed by the laughter of a group of children. It was the child from the song, the song that went through her head over and over again.

The suddenness made Amy jump. "No," she shook her head, muttering to herself, "This shouldn't be happening anymore. She can't be here... She _can't._"

"Amy," the Doctor called, hopping down towards her, hands in his pockets, "Muttering to ones self and making themselves look crazy is my job. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied.

"No, it must be something," the Doctor persisted, "You can tell me, Amy. What's wrong? Trust me."

"I said it's nothing!" Amy raised her voice sharply. Her outburst took the Doctor aback and he only stared at her with confusion and fear. _Fear_. Amy was a little scared of herself, too. She didn't know what had came over her, but she knew the voices were still there. She was starting to go crazy. "Sorry," she apologized, her voice dropping to a low murmur, "Please. Can we do the moon thing later? I'm feeling a headache coming on."

Amy headed into the room with the Doctor and Rory looking curiously after her. They knew something was wrong, and she knew they knew, but she didn't care. She just wanted it to go away. And still, the song played on.

"'_Tick-tock' goes the clock..."_


	20. Competitors Once More

Something was wrong with Amy Pond, and neither the Doctor nor Rory knew exactly what it was. There were some theories, though. As Amy went off to bed moaning about a headache, the two men looked at each other for answers.

"Rory, something's wrong with your wife," the Doctor stated, leaning back on the console, fingers laced with one another.

Rory was sitting on one of the lounge chairs nearby, looking quite concerned and nervous, rubbing the bridge of his large nose with one hand, the other draped over his knee. "Yeah, I noticed," he sighed, "Maybe it's stress. She just had a baby, then had it taken away to be raised as a weapon of evil, then lost her best friend, then watched you die... Maybe Amy's just starting to crack."

"I lived if you don't remember. And that all happened to you, too. You're perfectly... Well, you're fine." The Doctor refused to believe that Amy was cracking. She was strong. She was a fighter, not just another of his damsel-in-distress types.

"Just take us back to Leadworth," Rory suggested, choosing to ignore the Doctor's jab. He'd gotten used it a long time ago. "It's peaceful. No one will harm her there. Nobody can handle living with danger every day." 

"_You _can't," he argued, "But I've been doing this for centuries. And Amy... Well, Amy's different. She's special. It can't be stress." Actually, the Doctor knew that there was a slight possibility, but he dismissed it anyways. His Amelia Pond wasn't afraid of anything. Well, except for that crack in her wall. But as a 7 year old, she had just looked on as a strange man sat at her table eating fish fingers and custard, just emerging from a smoking blue box. She could handle anything, which was one of the many reasons the Doctor loved having her as a companion.

Rory disagreed. Though Amy frequently hurled insults in his direction, he knew she loved him. They'd grown up together, and Rory believed that he knew her much better than the man standing across from him, pretending to know how his wife really worked. As if Rory didn't know. The Doctor had never seen Amy at her worst, not like Rory had. He hadn't seen the tear-stained face of Amelia Pond at school the night after the Doctor left her. He hadn't seen the bags under that poor girl's eyes from lack of sleep, waiting for her Raggedy Man to come back. He hadn't seen the fights with her and her aunt Sharon, the dolls that got taken away, the cartoons that got put in the trash, all dismissed as childish imaginings. He hadn't seen anything, not compared to Rory. "Fine," the man threw his hands up in frustration, "What do you suggest?"

"I'm not sure," the Doctor admitted, wishing that he did. It would really make Rory seem a little less right. "It could be her adjusting from her Flesh avatar. She was like that for months and now she's switching back to her actual body. It could be causing some side effects. Still..."

"Still?"

"I feel like I'm missing something!" the Doctor groaned, exasperated at his lack of knowledge on things of late. It seemed everyone knew more than him. When did that happen? "Something so simple, yet overlooked." He was reminded of the Teselecta and his files. There was an unknown answer to an unknown question, one that would be very responsible for his death. He felt like that was what he was looking for, not the same question... But a question, nonetheless. "A question overlooked..."

Rory eyed the Doctor skeptically. He hated when the old man went off on tangents, using a thousand words to say three. It only confused Rory and made it hard to keep up. "I'm telling you," said Rory, shaking his head, "It's stress!"

"No, it's not!"

"She needs to go home!"

"No!" the Doctor shouted, growing very frustrated. The answer to the problem couldn't be as simple as stress. It just couldn't be. And he sure wasn't going to take Amy back to Leadworth just because _Rory _told him to. "_You _want to go home. Not her. She doesn't _need_ to. There' a bloody difference!"

Rory felt a smile play at his lips, an amused smile, though he didn't feel like smiling in the slightest. He had thought that the Doctor and him were friends, but this was starting to feel like the old days when he still so insecure about Amy's love and commitment. It felt like they were competitors once more. "Are we still competing over her?" he asked, voice low and icy, "Because if _you _don't remember, she chose me."

"This isn't a competition," the Doctor lied. He felt it, too, but he wasn't backing down. If he lost this time, Amy would leave. And that was the last thing he wanted. "But you're only thinking about yourself right now, Rory. She doesn't want to leave."

"Yes, she does!" he protested.

"If she really wanted to, she'd be gone already," the Doctor pointed out, hoping that was the case.

Rory glared at him for a long time before saying, "Amy _will_ want to leave someday, you know. She'll get over all of this and come back with me."

"I know," the Doctor replied, sadly, shoving his hands into his pockets. Of course he knew. All the companions said they wanted to stay with him forever on the TARDIS, but they never did. Even Rose, who he really had hopes for. She'd chosen to live the domestic life with his duplicate.

Rory's anger suddenly vanished at the Doctor's sad expression, not anticipating the man to agree, expecting another jab. Maybe he had been a bit harsh... _The Doctor loves River, not Amy. Stop being so insecure. We were done with being insecure_, he told himself. "Doctor, I-"

"It's fine," the Doctor raised his hand up in the air with a fake smile plastered to his face, "It's clear neither of us can agree on a solution. We're just going to have to keep an eye on her."

"I'm sure you're right. Maybe she's just adjusting." Rory just wanted to stop feeling so bad. Plus, he knew he'd receive a swift punch to the arm if Amy heard about this. "I'm going to bed too, I think. I'll see you tomorrow. G'nite, Doctor."

The Doctor nodded in reply and waited for Rory to fade into the hallway before he let the fears and guilty thoughts flood him.


	21. The Girl Who's Always Waiting

**Hey! Sorry about the long interval-y thing. It's what happens when you don't have a computer :P But... Here's the next chapter finally! Which takes place after "The Girl Who Waited." Loved that episode! Anyways, thanks for all the reviews! They warm my heart! And I hope you enjoy Chapter 21!**

It tore his hearts up to hear Amy's cries, her fists banging on the TARDIS door. It tore his two hearts up, remembering her venomous eyes and hate-filled words. The Doctor had to keep telling himself that she wasn't real, that she wasn't supposed to exist. He didn't want that Amy. What had been such a horribly difficult decision for Rory was an easy pick for the Time Lord. He knew exactly which one he wanted saved. Even if Rory had picked the older Amy, he would have somehow gotten her off of his time machine. He would have found some way to save the one he wanted.

"Doctor?" Amy called, walking through the doorway of the library/pool. She scanned the room to see him sitting on the edge of the pool, his trousers rolled up and feet dipped into the water, legs swishing back and forth in the water. "Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!"

"Sorry," he said, quietly, seeing Amy take off her boots and roll up the legs of her pants and sit down next to him. The contrast of the bright blue of the chlorinated water and the milky white of her skin brought the Doctor back to Space Florida. But he couldn't find the courage to look at Amy in the eyes, afraid of seeing the anger and sadness and betrayal in them.

"Rory told me what happened. He's still pretty upset about it."

"Are you?" the Doctor asked, carefully.

"No. Not really " Amy replied, casually. He looked up, surprised to see that she was actually smiling. She laughed at his hesitant, fearful expression and nudged him gently, "I'm not mad. The whole thing was sort of awkward if you ask me. Sharing Rory... Now, I know how me must feel ab- I mean... Felt... About you and I back... Then." Yeah, because Rory wasn't jealous anymore. He had no reason to be. Amy and the Doctor were just friends, right? She felt nothing else... Right?

The Doctor didn't seem to take notice of her awkward mistake, though. He was too busy feeling relieved that Amy wasn't drowning him in the pool at that very moment. "I'm sure Rory will get over it soon enough," he sighed, "He'll see he made the right choice."

"He didn't make the choice. She did," Amy pointed out, her lip in a pout while she thought, "Do you think he would've picked her?"

"Amy, what matters is that you're safe again. It was a hard choice."

"Not for you," she said, quickly. The Doctor looked away, distracting himself by moving his legs to form circles in opposite direction in the pool. "I don't mean it badly," Amy continued, studying the ripples in the water he was making, "But Rory's heartbroken. You just seem to be hiding from my non-existent rage. You're not upset about the decision she made, the decision you made."

"I sometimes forget how observant you are," the Doctor mumbled, finding Amy's talent both a blessing and a curse, "One of the reasons I took you with me."

"I thought it had to do with my house."

"One of the reasons, Pond," he repeated. It was so much more than just her house. So, so, so much more.

"So, you chose me," Amy stated, "Why?"

The Doctor had been wondering that himself. His immediate answer was that he loved this Amy more. This Amy was young and hopeful and still believed in her Raggedy Doctor. But that sounded a bit selfish of him. As he looked up into those brown eyes, though, the answer, the most truthful answer, was already escaping his lips. "She wasn't my Amelia Pond. No, my best friend died a long time ago in the Older Amy. My Amelia Pond would have been killed by time and loneliness and pain. She died waiting for me."

"They don't call me the 'girl who waited' for nothing," Amy joked, but the Doctor remained serious.

"You must be so tired of waiting for me," he murmured, "Every time I've left you to count the days until my return... You know it's hard on me too, don't you?" The Doctor shifted his body to face Amy's, her breath quickening as both his hands clasped hers. "If you don't, then you're not as brilliant as I give you credit for."

The redhead didn't have a response. She just pulled her madman in a tweed jacket into a hug, neither one letting go, the Doctor kissing her on her forehead and then nuzzling into her neck. And as they sat by the pool. Amy felt old emotions stir, ones she thought had been long gone. The doubts she'd been having were starting to cement, were starting to get all too real. She realized she would never stop waiting. She was destined to be "The Girl Who Waited," the girl who would always be waiting for the Doctor to love her. How had she been so stupid? The talk with Mels had Amy feeling like she was moving on from the Doctor. But she never had, had she? It took her hypothetical death to see it.

"I think he would have chosen her," Amy blurted, "He would be so much happier with that version of me." The Doctor pulled back from the embrace, giving the redhead a confused look, so he further explained, "She would've settled down with Rory. She was done with life on the TARDIS, just like he's getting. But... I'm not. I don't think I ever will be."

"You're just scared," he replied, wiping a tear from her face that she didn't even know was there. Amy's words sounded as sweet as honey to the Doctor, but a voice in the back of his mind reminded him that they all said that. They all said they wanted to stay with him forever, that the life of the TARDIS was the only one for them. But they never did. They always left. And one day, Amy would do the same.

"Maybe," Amy whispered, looking away, "Maybe." She would always wait for him. Because he was her Raggedy Doctor. Because she was still in love with him. She didn't belong in Leadworth with Rory, but those were just the cards she was dealt. The Doctor loved River and Amy knew her time on the TARDIS would come to an end. Soon. And there was nothing she could do about it. So, Amy sat at the pool for a few moments longer, the two both silent as they inhaled the chlorine smell and felt the cool water move around their legs. But Amy could feel the tears coming, springing from her eyes and she knew she wouldn't have the ability to hold them back for much longer.

"Doctor, I, um," Amy said, starting to remove her feet from the water and doing her best not to let the sadness of her current thoughts leak into her voice, "I should go get started on dinner."

The Doctor nodded, wishing he could say so many things. He wished he could tell her that he wanted nothing more than to keep Amy on the TARDIS forever with him, that he'd make that same choice for her a million times more if he had to. But he let her go without saying a single word.

"'Tick-tock' goes the clock,  
>He cradled and he rocked her.<br>'Tick-tock' goes the clock,  
>Even for the Doctor."<p>

The song filled Amy's mind once more as she entered the hallway and she had to grit her teeth to stop from yelling out in frustration. But these words caught her off guard. Even for the Doctor? she thought to herself, realizing just what it meant. No... She couldn't let him die. He had put his life in her hands, had given her the one thing he had always received yet never given. He trusted her to be there to save him. "Shut up, whatever you are," Amy muttered to the child's voice, "Time can be re-written. I will save him this time. The Doctor's not dying. Not on my watch."

**PS: The Christmas Special won't be in here. I tried to write it in... And by the time it aired... My plan was already too formulated and it just didn't work. :P But I am writing a one-shot for that. So, if you want to see my take on that episode you can just look at that one whenever I have the chance to publish it :B REVIEW please!**


	22. Oh, If Only

**Hello again! This takes place during "The God Complex." Enjoy! :)**

_Of course, _Amy's mind whispered, _Not the Weeping Angels. It had to be her. It_ had_ to be her. _Across the hotel room from the Doctor, Amy, Rory, and Gibbis was little Amelia Pond, the girl who waited all night in her garden for her Raggedy Man to whisk her away and take her to all the stars she could see in the sky. Amy fell to her knees. She couldn't handle this. If only the minotaur would come and sav- No. "Doctor," she whispered, frantically, "It's happening. It's changing me. It's changing my thoughts."

"Amy," the Doctor said, trying to calm her down. He knew what he had to do, and was dreading every second of it. But he had to stop the minotaur or it would kill Amy just like it killed Howie and Joe and Rita. Sacrificing Amy's life was much worse than sacrificing her trust, her faith in him. But he couldn't watch her die, not again.

Instantly, the scene from the Doctor's hotel room flashed in his eyes. _"Of course_," he had whispered, "_It's you_." He had shut the door so quickly behind him, putting a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the doorknob. Nobody should see that. What did the Doctor see in his room? Amy Pond's dead, broken body in his arms. He saw his own face filled with guilt and pain and sadness, covered in the blood of the woman he loved. Something told him it was his fault. Then again, how could it not be? She would be safe at home in Leadworth with Rory if it weren't for the Doctor, never having known what the universe held, but also never having to live a life of risk and possible death on a daily basis. The Doctor's greatest fear was to have the death of his magnificent Amelia Pond on his hands, to hold her in his arms, drenched in her blood and know that it was him who caused the spilling of every drop of it.

"It's changing my thoughts." Amy's voice brought the Doctor back to the current time.

"I can't you save from this." He watched as the disbelief and confusion sprang up in her face, her whole body freezing.

"What?" she asked confused. If her Raggedy Doctor couldn't save her then who would? He _always _found a way to save her. He found a way to save everyone. Always.

"I stole your childhood and now I've led you to by the hand to your death," the Doctor sighed. Why did he always have to get so attached? Why did he _always _lose those closest to him? Couldn't he have just one person in the whole universe to call his own? Just one? "But the worst thing is... I _knew_. I_ knew_ this would happen. This is what always happens."

They always trusted him whole-heartedly because he asked them to. They always believed that he'd never let them down, that he'd always save the day because he, himself, had that almighty view of himself. And he let them believe it too. He always got too close, one way or another to his companions. There were always feelings that complicated things. They always ended up leaving him.

The minotaur burst through the door but the two never took their eyes off the other. The Doctor hated the hopelessness, the sadness, the confusion that filled her brown eyes as all her beliefs from the last 15 years shattered. "I took you with me because I was _vain_," the Doctor lied, knowing he had to finish the job. He had to break her. "Because I wanted to be adored. Look at you... Glorious Pond." _Rory's lucky to have you. Oh, if only... If only you could be mine. _"The girl who waited for me. I'm not a hero. I really am just a madman in a box. And it's time we see each other as we really are."

This was it. He could sense the minotaur dying, starving. Amy's faith in the Doctor was fading, while the Doctor tried not to take it all back. He leaned forward and kissed the woman on her forehead. _No longer a girl. She's a woman. A married woman._ He wished he could tell her that they'd be alright, that they'd make it out okay, that he loved her and didn't mean a single thing his mouth had just uttered. But he couldn't. Amy would never truly be alright and maybe one day they _wouldn't _make it out okay. Life with him was a constant danger. So, instead, he spoke the words he never wanted to say, the name he never wanted to call her. Because they meant that she wasn't his. _She was never yours. She never will be._

"Amy Williams... It's time to stop waiting."


	23. He's Saving Us

**Hello, everyone(: Here's the next chapter- Amy and the Doctor's goodbye in "The God Complex." Seriously... I may have cried a little. I can't believe the Ponds are leaving next season! D: Then again, as the Doctor said in the 2010 Christmas Special, all good things must come to an end... Or something like that ^_^ Fo sho, though... I'll cry. ANYWAYS, here it is! Enjoy!**

"So," Amy said awkwardly, leaning against Rory's dream car, one of the gifts courtesy of the Doctor. She was about to ask a question that she already knew the answer to, an answer she didn't want to hear. Nevertheless, it needed to be said. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

"You haven't seen the last of me," the Doctor replied, perched next to Amy on the car. The tension was thick and sad. He hated saying good-byes. So, the Doctor tried some humor. "'Bad Penny' is my middle name. Seriously, the looks I get when I try to fill a form."

"Why now?" the redhead asked, only managing a small smile at his joke.

The Doctor didn't reply immediately and when he next spoke, there was no humor. Only the sadness that he truly felt. "Because you're still... Breathing."

"Well, I think this is about the washing up," Amy sighed, deciding she didn't like the tension either. The two laughed, wondering how on Earth they had the ability to smile at a time like this.

"I mean, you're right," the Doctor went on, starting to get excited like he usually did when he talked about the possibilities and adventure throughout time and space. Amy would miss that. "There's still heaps of stuff to look at. Do you know there's a planet whose name literally translates to 'volatile circus'?" The Doctor made his way to the TARDIS slowly as he talked, wishing he could take her by the hand and drag her into the blue box on another fantastic adventure. "Or maybe there's a much bigger, scarier adventure waiting for you in there," he continued, motioning to the blue house with the TARDIS blue door.

Amy looked back at it with fear and slight hints of dread and disgust. She didn't want this life. She wanted life in the TARDIS. But the Doctor didn't love Amy like she loved him. Like Rory loved her. She was destined to live a life she didn't want to lead. Why was she foolish enough to believe this could last forever? She still loved Rory. A lot. But not like she loved the Doctor. Amy would never love anyone more than the Doctor. "Even so," Amy frowned, hiding it by ducking her head down to look at her feet and moving towards him. "We can't go like this. After everything we've been through, Doctor. Everything. You can't just drop me off at my house and say goodbye like we shared a cab."

Her eyes started to well and she could hear the anger start to rise in her voice. The Doctor looked on, sadly, trying to hold his own tears back. "And what's the alternative?" he murmured, knowing his voice would crack if he raised his voice any higher, "Me standing over your grave, over your broken body? Over Rory's body?" The minotaur's words echoed in his head and the image of his room flashed before his eyes. That was why he had to leave.

To hide her oncoming tears, Amy grabbed a hold of his tweed jacket and clung to him tightly. She tried to commit everything to her memory, afraid it would all escape her as soon as he vanished in his blue box. The feel of his jacket, his thick, dark hair, the familiar scent of TARDIS grease and cologne. The Doctor buried his face in her fiery tresses, knowing this would be the last time he'd hold her in his arms, feeling the warmth from her body sink in through his clothes, all the way to his two hearts.

They both knew they'd have to part sometime, and when they did, the Doctor could see droplets begin to roll down Amy's cheeks. If he didn't leave soon, he knew he'd break down as well, and maybe even invite her back in.

She tried to play her tears off with a smile, putting forth as much cheer into her voice as she could manage. "If you bump into my daughter, tell her to visit her old mum sometime."

"And look after him," the Doctor said, pointing his gaze towards the house.

"Look after you," Amy replied, wishing he wouldn't be left alone. Who was going to laugh and banter with him? Who was going to stand by and pretend not to be impressed by all the wonderful worlds he showed with that stupid bow tie that he somehow managed to pull off? She so very badly wished she was the answer to those questions. But she wasn't.

She kissed him on the forehead, a gesture he had so often done to give Amy comfort and security. This time, it was the Doctor that needed to be told everything was going to be okay, that he could handle the alone time on the TARDIS and would find a companion ten times better than Amy could ever be. He wished to say so much to Amy, but he felt the tears coming, coming fast, and turned back to the TARDIS before Amy could see. But he wanted one last glimpse of her. So beautiful the Doctor thought, She's always been so beautiful.

They both laughed at the Doctor's awkward wave as he headed back into the TARDIS, this time without Amy, leaving her behind like he had all those years ago. Amy watched, listening to the familiar sound of the TARDIS' brakes that the Doctor always forgot to take off. And as the blue box began to disappear, Amy's laughs began to gradually turn into sobs.

"What happened?" asked Rory, champagne glasses in hand, coming out to celebrate a little too late.

A few moments later, Amy spoke. "He's saving us."

**Send in a review and I'll give you a sneak peek to the next chapter! Oh, and btw... Told my friends about my new guilty pleasure/obsession with fanfiction :P They said it obvious and told me they accept me for my fangirl ways! ^_^ Lol. 'Til next time, folks!**


	24. The Doctor Lies

**Hey! So, you may be wondering why I'm updating so much all of a sudden :P I'll tell you why: I want to have my story complete by Series 7. And there will be a sequel to this story, so that's why. I didn't even plan on it until I was writing the penultimate chapter (second to last chapter(; I enjoy using SAT words) and I was like "Oh, yeah... Forgot to address this..." SO I MUST! Anyways, here's the next chapter. It takes place somewhere in between "The God Complex" and "Closing Time."**

It had been a two whole months since the Doctor left. Two months full of sadness and emptiness. Two months of hopeless waiting. Rory Williams watched day after day as his wife stared up out the window in their bedroom and into the sky, knowing where her thoughts were. He woke up each morning to find her already awake at the window, sipping her green tea quietly. He left the house after a lonely, quiet breakfast, saying goodbye but never getting a reply. He came home each night after a long day at the hospital to find her in the same spot, like she hadn't moved an inch. He ate another lonely meal, then headed upstairs to the bedroom where she still sat. He went to bed alone, watching his wife and silently begging her to climb in next to him. But she never did. Amelia Pond was still waiting for her Raggedy Doctor.

Still, Rory knew she took care of herself. Plates that weren't his dried in the racks. They were always the same foods though: fish fingers and custard. She never ate them together like the Doctor could, but it was either one or the other. Amy still showered every once in awhile and on his days off, Rory could hear her from outside the door singing a song, their song. The one her and the Doctor danced to at the wedding. Amy took care of herself for only one reason, though. She wanted to be ready when the TARDIS materialized on the street. Two suitcases permanently stood by the front door, filled with her belongings. And Rory stood by, day after day, hoping that Amy would soon get over it and realize that the Doctor wasn't coming back. Rory was patient. He was the boy who waited two thousand years, yet these months seemed twice as long.

On Day 65, Amy came downstairs, standing on the bottom step. Rory was sitting on the couch, watching the news on the telly. It was a Saturday and he had weekends off. He didn't even notice her. "Rory," Amy said, clearing her voice. The sound of it seemed so foreign. She hadn't spoken in what seemed like years.

Rory looked up towards her, shocked for a second, but then his face lit up with happiness. It was so contagious that even Amy found one slowly spreading across her face. When was the last time she smiled? Truly smiled? "Hey," he breathed, scrambling over the couch and heading towards the stairs.

"Hey. We were out of custard."

"Oh, do you want me to go get some?" Rory asked, a little disappointed. He had hoped for something a little more.

"No. I went and got it," she explained, "You weren't home. It was last week."

"Oh... Okay."

"Yeah." Amy had something to tell him. It was big and exciting and definitely a step in the right direction. "I met a woman at the mall giving out free samples of some lipstick. She told me I was beautiful and that I should be a model."

"Oh, well that was nice of her," Rory smiled, "She's right, you know."

"Thanks." Amy let out a shaky laugh. "But that's not the end of it. She took a picture of me and showed some of her bosses at work. And... She got me a job! As a model!"

"What? Amy! That's great!" Rory cried, excitedly, lifting his wife off her feet into a tight hug, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I wanted to make sure it wasn't a scam or anything," Amy laughed. When was the last time she laughed? "I met the company yesterday. They want me to do an ad for a new eyeshadow they're doing! The boss really liked me! He even asked if I could help with a new line of perfume they're doing."

"'He'?" Rory asked, suspiciously. He remembered how she cheated on her driving test: the short skirt. Still, he didn't want to burst Amy's bubble of happiness. She hadn't been happy in a long while.

"Yeah. His name is Cal," Amy went on, her arms wrapped around Rory's neck, "I already picked out a slogan, too."

"What is it?"

Amy lifted her head from his shoulder and stared into Rory's eyes. She'd always loved him, but now there weren't any distractions or complications. There was no Doctor to muddle her thoughts. Amy sat by her window for sixty-four days, waiting for him before she finally realized that maybe he wasn't coming back. That it was time to move on. "Amy Williams... It's time to stop waiting." She wanted Rory to know that she realized it was time to move past it. Amy couldn't have that life in the TARDIS and Rory was a good man, one of the best men she had ever known. He'd do anything for her. Why not him?

"For the girl who's tired of waiting," Amy finally murmured, pressing her lips onto Rory's and having the first kiss they'd had in weeks. As Rory carried Amy up the stairs, her legs wrapped around his waist as they made their way to the bedroom, Amy couldn't help but wonder where that madman was, what he was doing. Did he miss her? Or had he already moved on with another pretty companion?

"I love you, Amy," Rory whispered, clambering onto the bed with his wife still in his arms.

"I love you too, Rory." This was her home. Forget him, Amy thought, irritated with herself, We're over him, remember? We're done waiting. He's not coming back. This was her home. This was who she belonged with. Still a little voice in her mind replied, But he always comes back. Amy pushed away that tiny voice as Rory's lips moved across hers, long fingers fumbling with the buttons on her shirt. Rule one, Amy reminded herself, sadly, The Doctor lies.

**Yeah, I know I didn't give people much of a chance to review... Pretty much like... 20 hours... But I don't know what's up with my email or whatever. I'm not getting any reviews or story alerts or anything since like... Last Monday. Maybe I'm being impatient, maybe no one's reading this, or MAYBE my settings are messed up... Who really knows? ANYWAYS, if I do get notified of a review in the next 24 hours or so... I WILL give you a preview to the next chapter. But I seriously think something is up with my settings. BYE!**


	25. Sweet Pea & Lavender

**Here's the next chapter which takes place in "Closing Time."**

**HarryPotterTNGFan: In "The Pandorica Opens," the Doctor says that people leave traces like half-eaten meals, luggage, pictures... And rings. Or something like that. Also, if he totally didn't exist, then the ring would never have been in their possession either. I think it mentions that quote in a future chapter :P**

**And now that all questions have been answered, I want to say thanks to all that reviewed. I was seriously starting to think my readers all got eaten by zombies or something xD**

**ENJOY!**

The Doctor really regretted coming to visit Craig. He was a nice fellow, one of the best guys he'd met, but still. He had told himself he was done saving the world. But he'd been feeling so lonely... The minute those TARDIS doors shut behind him, an overwhelming sense of melancholy and loneliness crept up on him. He hadn't felt like this since Donna left. All he thought about was Amy and it was driving him mad. If he didn't find a distraction soon, the Doctor knew he'd go right back and ask the Ponds to join in on some new adventure.

Craig was actually the Doctor's first choice. His last time with Craig made him believe for a second that he could live that life, that he could settle down and live the boring human life Amy needed to be safe.

"Can I have your autograph?" A tiny voice asked, dragging the Doctor's attention away from an angry Craig Owens, little Stormy in tow, leaving him alone in the department store. The Doctor turned his head and saw the one person he didn't expect to see at all, the last person he wanted to see... And at the same time... The person he wished to see the most. Maybe that was why he was dreading it.

Amy Pond. "Sure!" Amy smiled, obviously unused to the attention she was getting. Of course, Rory was alongside her, carrying countless shopping bags. They were doing well for themselves and they looked happy, genuinely content with this life on Earth. It brought some warmth to his two hearts but also a pang of jealousy. There they were, over it all, and his hearts still ached as much as they had the second he'd left them.

Why is she signing autographs? he wondered, trying to change the direction of his own thoughts. The Doctor opened his mouth to say something witty. Oh, the looks on their faces when they see their good, old Do- Wait... The Doctor took a few steps back, peeking behind a rack of clothes. She's happy. He's happy. Neither of them are safe with me. My end is near. They can't see me.

He watched as Amy signed the little girl's paper, watched the couple walk away and resisted the urge to call out to them. The little girl hopped back to the adult she was with, pointing in the Doctor's direction. Confused, the Doctor mouthed Me? and pointed to himself before turning his head and seeing something that had been right in front of his face. How had he not seen it before? It was a giant perfume ad with a face that he could pick out of a crowd anywhere. Amy. Amy's face. Amy's fierce, brown eyes. Amy's ginger hair that he loved so much. Amy's porcelain skin, so soft and warm. Amy's lips in a tiny pout.

Then, he read over the rest of the ad: Petrichor... For the girl who's tired of waiting. For the girl who's tired of Doctor smiled to himself, despite the hurting of his two hearts. You told her it was time to stop waiting, he reminded himself, For once, she actually listened to you. Though it saddened him, he was also proud. He had known that she was too good for life as a kiss-a-gram. She was magnificient, his Amelia Pond. And impossible and brilliant. The Doctor was so happy that she had done well with herself, that she had reached for the stars. "Amelia Pond..."

LATER ON...

Before the Doctor left to deal with his death, he had one last stop: the department store. "Yes, hello!" he smiled cheerfully at the woman across the counter. Bright lights lit up the shelves of colored glass and various, strong scents assaulted his nose. "I'm looking for 'Petrichor.' It's a perfume."

"Oh, right," the woman replied. Her hair was in a loose, blonde ponytail and she had way too much eyeshadow on, in the Doctor's opinion. Her brown eyes were lit with fake enthusiasm as she returned the smile and reached into the glass counter for a sleek, simple perfume bottle with slightly pink fluid and a gold top. "It's a popular one."

The Doctor examined the bottle before spritzing the perfume on his wrists. "I'll take it," he said instantly, throwing down a few hundred pounds. He never had the patience to count through all of it and figure out the inflation or deflation of currencies in a particular part of time. "Keep the change."

The woman's eyes almost popped out of her eye sockets. She tried to call the Doctor back but he had departed as soon as she had scanned it, taking the bottle out and throwing the box over his shoulder. The Doctor held his wrist to his nose, puzzled yet so genuinely happy. He was puzzled because the name of the perfume was Petrichor. He knew that it meant "scent of rain on dry earth," but it didn't smell anything like it. He smiled to himself, wondering who was in charge of the title. The happiness sprouted because of what it actually smelled like. "Sweet pea and lavender," the Doctor murmured to himself, smiling, "My favorite."


	26. Failing Her Raggedy Doctor

**Hola! Here comes the next chapter of the day, taking place in "The Wedding of River Song." I won't be able to upload any during the weekend... Or at least I don't think so. I won't have a computer :P**

**OHMIGAWSH. I feel like I should share this story with my fellow Whovians: my plans on Saturday. There's a dance and the theme is "Dynamic Duos" and my friend convinced me to go with him as Amy and the Doctor ^_^ So excited!**

**Anyways, ENJOY(:**

"I can't let you die!" River cried, tears forming in her eyes. She stood across from the Doctor, Amy and Rory off to the side on top of the tower next to the distress beacon. They were in an alternate timeline, one where time was all mixed up and never moving. But Amy had accepted it, knowing that it was all because River, the Apollo 11 astronaut, had refused to kill the Doctor. "Without knowing you are loved! By so many and so much... And by no one more than me."

That's not true, Amy thought, I love him with everything I have. I love him just as much as you do. He just doesn't love me back. She couldn't let him die either, not again. The Doctor's life was in her hands. But she also knew it was River who'd have to take the larger role in the rescue. River was, after all, fighting for the love of her life. It was all making Amy's head spin and she couldn't even focus on a single thing, not even paying attention as she gave a quick summary of the situation to her newly found Rory. She was in love with her daughter's future husband. It wasn't normal. Then again, Amy never really could be defined as "normal." Not in any of her time lines that she had lived.

"Amy, uncuff me now," the Doctor ordered, breaking her thoughts. She went over and freed his wrists, staring at the back of his head. How was she going to save him from this? He was so unwilling to be saved! "Okay. I need a strip of cloth about a foot long." Before the Ponds could even get a look around, the Doctor had already started taking off his bow tie. "Never mind! River, grab the end of this. Wrap it around your hand. Hold it out to me."

River followed the Doctor's orders, mimicking his own actions to his end of the bow tie. "What am I doing?" she asked, echoing Amy's thoughts.

"Following orders," he quickly replied, "Now. In the middle of a combat zone. So, we'll have to do the quick version. Captain Williams, say, 'I consent and gladly give.'"

"To what?" Rory asked.

"Just say it!" the man barked, frantic. They were running out of time. The sharpness of his tone had surprised Rory, so he added very softly, "Please."

"I consent and gladly give."

The Doctor next turned to the one pair of eyes he didn't want to meet: Amy's. "I need you to say it too," he said, weakly, "Mother of the bride."

Amy felt a quick flash of angry jealousy that the Doctor saw but was too busy to analyze. She knew she didn't have a choice in the matter. "I consent and gladly give," she repeated, her voice flat and robotic, her eyes cold and never leaving the Doctor. Amy couldn't listen to the rest of the ceremony. She only watched.

She looked on as River looked lovingly into the eyes of the Doctor, taking what was rightfully hers, what Amy had spent so long pretending was hers. She looked on as the Doctor whispered into her daughter's ear, telling her a secret Amy wasn't allowed to know. The Doctor looked from the corner of his eye, seeing his redhead, his curious Amelia Pond. "I just told you my name," he lied, hoping it would prevent Amy from wasting time by demanding to know what he had said.

Amy instantly flashed back to the conversation she had with the Dream Lord.

_"Oh, is that what you think you are?" the Dream Lord asked, sounding as if he were on the verge of bursting out laughing, "The one he trusts?"_

_"Actually," Amy replied with pure confidence, "Yes._

_"The one girl in the universe to whom the Doctor tells everything?" he asked again._

_"Yes," she hissed._

_"So, what's his name?"_

The one girl to whom the Doctor tells everything. It wasn't Amy. It never was, was it? How could she be so stupid to think that a kiss-a-gram from a little village would ever be the most important girl in the life of the Doctor, the greatest man in the universe?

The Doctor and River kissed, sealing their vows as another wave of pain hit Amy's heart. How many times had she dreamed of kissing him? Countless. And as the seconds slowly began to tick away, time spurring back to life, the song echoed in Amy's head, but she was too sad to pay much attention to it.

_"'Tick-tock' goes the clock_  
><em>And what now shall we see?<em>  
><em>'Tick-tock' until the day<em>  
><em>That thou shalt marry me."<em>

Then, Amy was suddenly standing next to Rory and River on the beach of Lake Silencio, this time knowing who was in that suit, knowing that another Doctor was waiting for them, clueless about the Silence, about all of this. She knew about River being Melody, about her future as a model, about her greatest fear and her strongest faith. Everything. And as she watched the man that she loved most in all of time and space fall to his death on the shores of Lake Silencio, she still couldn't stop herself from screaming and running to him. She still couldn't stop herself from trying to shake him awake even though she knew he was dead. Because she loved him. Because she had sworn to herself that she'd find a way to stop all this. Because she failed. The Doctor had saved Amy countless times from death and the one time he put his faith into her, she had failed. Amy Pond had failed her Raggedy Doctor.

**thedoctorandamy: I really had no idea what he said :P I looked it up and my options were "volatile circus" or "volatile sex." I went with the first one, because it sounded more... Correct. But I'll go look it up and try to fix it or something :P Thanks for the review!  
><strong>

**Oh and that goes to the rest of you, too!(**


	27. What Now Shall We See?

**Hi! So... I have some news... I ripped up my last 24 chapters of this story because I deemed them imperfect, so I might update at the rate from before as I try to rewrite the ending! Here's the next chapter, which is the Doctor "dying" on Lake Silencio. I know I already have a similar chapter (chapter 12?) but this is in the Doctor's POV. So... Yeah! Enjoy!(:**

"Doctor!" Amy screamed at the top of her lungs, running down the beach of Lake Silencio.

The Doctor was on his knees, watching the regeneration energy rise up from his hands, then back to his best friend. "I'm sorry," he whispered, tears filling his green eyes. _I'm sorry for making you watch this. I'm sorry I put you in all this danger. I'm sorry for letting them take your baby. I'm sorry for making you wait all those years. I'm sorry I never told you just how I felt about you, Amy Pond... My magnificient, brilliant, impossible Amelia Pond..._

And then more shots. The Doctor was dead. Well, actually the Teselecta was just a bit damaged. The shots had only shaken the "ship" but he would still carry away a few scrapes and bruises from the bumpy ride. Still, the Doctor's eyes never left hers, Amy's face filling the screen as the redhead laid her body on his, sobs sending slight quakes in the robot. And her cries... He could still hear her cries. The Doctor closed his eyes, feeling the small crew around him staring.

"Wake up!" Amy sobbed, "Wake up, you stupid, bloody idiot!"

The Doctor's two hears broke. "Oh, Amy," he sighed, crossing his arms. This was the last time he'd see her. After he escaped from the Teselecta, it was back to the TARDIS to let things die down. The Doctor was getting too big.

"What are we going to do, Rory?" Amy asked, but she already knew what came next. She remembered both timelimes, growing up with a crack in time in her bedroom wall. She was special.

**A LITTLE LATER...**

It took them almost a half hour to get the Doctor's body into the boat. He felt the gravity shift, knowing that his time to escape was near. The gasoline smell filled everyone's senses in the Teselecta and they all waited for things to heat up, for the alarms to go off as their ship burned.

"Time to get this show on the road!" the Doctor's voice boomed, echoing throughout the main control room. He was done listening to the tears and pain, done listening to Amy's cries and not being able to do anything.

"Hello, Sweetie." River Song. The Doctor's wife. Oh, she knew everything as usual. "Sorry about the whole... 'Re-Writing A Fixed Point' thing. Won't happen again, I promise! As long as you visit me soon. I'm thinking the 6th moon of Genoplaux for our honeymoon. Great during the winter."

The Doctor smiled. It wasn't actually that bad of an idea. He wondered why he hadn't thought of taking Amy there. "Doesn't matter now," he muttered, low enough so no one could hear, "River will love it just as much, I'm sure."

After River said her goodbyes, putting on a sad performance for her parents, Rory came over. The Last Centurion. "Hello, Doctor," the man said, awkwardly, "Uh... Christ, I don't know what to say!"

"Heartfelt, Beak-Nose," the Doctor snorted.

"She's lost without you, y'know," he continued, "I spent my whole life trying to be you, Amy's beloved Raggedy Doctor. Her hero in a blue box. I used to be so jealous... Still kind of am, actually. But you're also one of my best mates. You and me, Amy's boys." Rory paused trying to find the right wording, then began again, his tone more determined, "I'll never be you. But I can still be her hero. I know I can. Goodbye, Doctor. Wish me luck."

The Doctor smiled. Rory had just been a simple, insecure nurse when they'd first met. But he had become so much more. That was one of his favorite things about taking humans travelling. The universe had its effects on everyone, and sometimes it was for the better. It was companions like Martha, Mickey, Jack, Rory, and Amy that made the Doctor remember all the positive effects he'd left.

"Amy?" Rory called, his head turning in her direction, "Amy, it's-"

The Time Lord tensed. He didn't want to hear her goodbye. It was hard enough the first time and the Doctor had a feeling that if she said just the right words, he'd scream out some comforting comment through the microphone.

"Hi," Amy murmured, her eyes puffy and make-up ruined. _Still absolutely perfect,_ the Doctor's mind whispered. "Why couldn't you just let me save you? You put your life in my hands, remember? But I still couldn't stop it."

"It was a fixed point in time," he replied, though she couldn't hear him. The microphone was at the Doctor's side, clenched in his left hand. "It had to happen."

"This can't be it though," Amy said, shaking her head, her voice getting thick, "You said you'd _always_ come back! You _promised_!"

The Doctor raised the microphone up to his chest, the captain and crew eyeing him carefully. His fists tightened against the object in his hand, knuckles turning white. The urge to say something was becoming unbearable. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"What am I going to do without you, Doctor?" Amy sniffled, "Hm? Who's going to spit out all my food? Who's going to whisk me away to Space Florida or Cinda Callista or introduce me to Vincent van Gogh and Liz X? Who's going to ask me which bow tie to wear 6 million times in the morning? Who's going to kiss me on the forehead, tell me everything's okay, and call me their Amelia Pond?"

As Amy continued, more and more tears fell from her eyes and it became harder to speak clearly. The Doctor raised the microphone to his lips, fingers poised on the button that would project his voice out of the Teselecta. "What are you doing?" Captain Carter demanded, "Doctor, she can't know. It'll ruin this. It'll all have been for nothing."

"I can't just sit here!" the Doctor yelled, "Amy Pond had shed so many tears for me, whether she wanted me to see them or not. I can't just sit here and watch her cry."

"The Silence is after you, Doctor. They'll come after her and your other friends, too, if they realize you're not dead. So, tell her. But be prepared to watch her die."

Carter was right. Harsh, but right, and he was still just looking out for the Time Lord. He realized that, lowering the speaker reluctantly, face twisting in guilt and pain. The Doctor needed to pull himself together. There was a reason he was going to all this trouble. He looked back at Amy, who was staring lovingly at his face, stroking his cheek with her thumb. "What is Amelia Pond without her imaginary friend, her Raggedy Man?" Amy leaned down after a few moments, as if she were waiting for his reply, and pressed her lips to his forehead, then whispered, so no one around her could hear, "I never stopped loving you, you stupid, bow tie-wearing idiot. Never."

The Doctor stopped breathing, as did the other hundreds of tiny people on the ship, anticipating his next move. Would he say something? If so, what? The Doctor's two hearts leapt with joy, trying to beat their way out of his rib cage. But they were shattering at the same time. He wanted to scream out that the feelings were reciprocated, that he loved her too. The Doctor finally saw it. All of it: the flirty glances, the awkward silences, the words with underlying tones. But he couldn't say a word back.

**Until next time, folks! Hope you enjoyed, and hope you review!(:**


	28. Impossible

**Here's the next chapter, yo! It takes place in "The Wedding Of River Song" when River tells Amy and Rory all about the Teselecta and such!(: This is also the last chapter before it goes into my own story. Ohmigawsh. I can't believe it's gotten this far! Also, just a warning... The Doctor and Amy won't be appearing with one another for awhile... But they WILL meet again! Thanks so much! Please review... And... ENJOY! :D**

"I need to talk to the Doctor," Amy said, wishfully, glass of wine in hand as she glanced into the night sky. Somewhere out there, the last of the Time Lords was crashing into a little Scottish girl's garden, promising her all of time and space in just a matter of five minutes.

"If you could talk to him, would it make a difference?" River asked. Amy knew without a doubt it would. The Doctor would know exactly what to say to make her feel better, come up with some rational-sounding point that proved Amy Pond was no cold-blooded killer, despite her moment in the alternate timeline with Kovarian. And then he'd come up with some joke that would make Amy laugh and feel ten pounds lighter and forget the whole thing. She needed her best friend.

"He's dead now,"she answered, sullenly, trying to push back all the "what if" scenarios running through her mind, "So, I can't."

"Oh, Mother!" River tisked, meaning Amy was missing something. But what? "Of course he isn't!"

"Not for you, I suppose," Amy sighed, trying to keep the jealousy from leaking into her voice, "You're seeing all the younger versions of him... Running around and having adventures." The life Amy always wanted.

"Yeah, I am," River shrugged, but the happiness in her voice was apparent, "But that's not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean?"

River took a second, tilting her head to contemplate how much she should reveal. She hated seeing her mother so sad and upset, knowing the Doctor knew just what to do as well. Ever since she was a little girl, River/Melody had been a Mummy's Girl. And nothing had changed over the years. "Okay," the blonde began, sipping her wine, "I'm going to tell you what I probably shouldn't: the Doctor's last secret. Don't you want to know what he whispered in my ear?"

Of course Amy did. When she was in Berlin and on top of that tower. Curiouosity coursed through the redhead at the memory of it and this conversation had just gotten three times as interesting. "He whispered his name," Amy answered, remembering his reaction afterwards. The secret she would never be entrusted with.

"Not his name, no."

"Yeah, it was," she argued, "He said it was."

"Rule One..." River started.

"The Doctor lies," Amy finished, eyes widening. If it wasn't his name, then what was the Doctor's last secret?

"So do I," her daughter said, "All the time. Have to. 'Spoilers!' Pretending I don't know you're my mother... Pretending I didn't recognize the space suit in Florida..."

"What did he whisper in your ear?" Amy persisted, feeling more interested in that than River's life of lies that she had already known about.

"Oh, that man," River answered with adoration, "He's always one step ahead of everyone else. Always has a plan..."

"What did he tell you?" Amy asked again, louder, already anticipating the words she hoped to hear, despite her best efforts not to get too excited. It might be as pointless as his favorite bedtime story!

LATER THAT NIGHT...

Oh, it was _much _better than his favorite bedtime story! The Doctor was alive! At first, Amy and Rory couldn't believe it, but River had reassured them that their old friend was indeed, alive and well. When River left, the two Ponds made a plan. If/when the Doctor came back to see them, they'd keep up the act, pretending like they didn't know. And they were NOT giving the Doctor any happy hugs. Not immediately anyways.

But then, it was time to go to sleep. Rory had to work at the hospital the next day and was getting up pretty early. He went right to sleep at 11 pm, leaving Amy wide awake in bed at 2 in the morning. It wasn't excitement over the whole "alive" thing with the Doctor, though. In fact, that would have made her rest a little easier.

No, it was the painful throbbing in Amy's head. It felt like pressure was building behind her skull and something was trying to get out. Amy sat in bed, teeth grinding, and fists gripping the blanket as if to rip it in two. She held back screams that would surely wake her husband and prayed for sleep to find her, each moment growing more unbearable.

_"Doctor, brave and good,_  
><em> He turned away from violence<em>  
><em> When he understood<em>  
><em> The falling of the Silence."<em>

"No!" Amy whimpered, her body starting writhe in intense pain as she found recognition in the haunting tune. This wasn't over. This was FAR from over. "The voices are back... They're back!" she cried, frantically, "Rory!"

"What?" he mumbled, opening his heavy lids.

"Rory!" Amy yelled, louder, the pain getting stronger. This felt worse than dying, ten times worse. "Rory, hel-!"

Rory popped his eyes open as he realized Amy wasn't just having another nightmare. She was _screaming_. He flipped over to face Amy's side of the bed, his heart stopping as Rory looked upon the remains of his wife, feeling the warm liquid seep in through his pajamas, in absolute horror.


	29. Where We Need To Be

**Hey, guys!(: I know I left the last chapter off at a cliffhanger. Sorry about that. I like to think I'm Steven Moffat sometimes ^_^ And, also, Imma pull another one on you! There's going to be missing information in here that you won't find out about until later and I won't tell you anything more about it, so don't ask. That's all for now- Oh, wait! A friend just showed me all my traffic stats and I must say... I feel loved! I can't believe so many people from so many places in the world are actually reading this! I want to say thanks for all the reviews! Honestly, I would have dropped this story a long time without all of your kind words(: ENJOY, my lovelies!**

He missed her. The Doctor missed his Amelia Pond. He constantly thought about her, wondering what she was up to, how her modelling career was going, if she was still reaching for the stars. He wondered if Amy was missing her Doctor as much as he was missing her and how she was managing his "death." The Doctor couldn't seem to get her off his mind. No amount of running and adventure or alien planets could distract his thoughts from his fiery redhead.

The Doctor stood near the door of the TARDIS, hesitating before reaching for the handle. He _had_ to get out of that box and needed to see a familiar face, and he knew the one person who could help him with his Amy troubles. "Hi, honey," the Doctor said, swinging the door open, "I'm home."

"At what sort of time do you call this?" River Song. She was the closest thing he would get to the real thing, the one woman who could help most. She couldn't solve all the pain, but she could help numb some of it.

He looked at the blonde with a smile, the feeling somewhat foreign. She was sitting on her cot in Stormcage, doing what she normally did: dreaming of the Doctor. The TARDIS blue diary was held within River's hands still, flipping through the pages of their adventures. "So," the Doctor asked, "Where are we?"

"I just got back from Amy and Rory's wedding a couple weeks ago," River replied, sitting up, "You asked me to marry you. Again."

"I seem to remember you tricking me into that one, River," he laughed, remembering his confusion, but also the desperate loneliness springing from Amy tying the knot. Oh, how things had changed since then, but wasn't that what River had warned him that night? The Doctor looked into her eyes, noticing the eager hope in them. She was hoping he was farther along in his own time stream to actually know her, flirt with her, be her husband, not caring that it was on an alternate time stream that never existed. "Lake Silencio, April the 22nd."

"Oh." River's smile turned into a flat line. She still felt guilty about the whole thing, about forcing the Doctor into hiding, and then, of course, embarrassing him with that distress beacon... She wasn't used to seeing one that knew her so well anymore, knowing her as Melody Pond, the woman who killed the Doctor, and it all sort of put River Song on edge.

The Doctor observed her reaction with slight amusement. He wasn't used to a River that knew him so well, either, all his quirks and flaws. Lately, all he'd been seeing were her early times as River, transforming from Mels. "Didn't you say something about the sixth moon of Genoplaux?"

"You remembered!" River sighed, happily, turning her frown upside-down again, running into her husband's arms. He closed his eyes, missing this close contact. The last person to hug him was Amy, when she had gripped onto the Teselecta. The Doctor tried to pretend it was her, but the smell was off. The whole feel was off. River didn't wrap her arms around the Doctor's neck like Amy did, like the comfort of his hug was the only thing keeping her anchored to the ground. She didn't run her hands through his hair in the same comforting way that Amy did. Her head didn't fit into his shoulder like the perfect puzzle piece like Amy... River didn't make his heart rate triple and hands go clammy.

And the kiss River had just planted on his lips... It was nothing compared to that night in Amy's bedroom. It didn't make is head spin and hearts both practically stop."Let's get going, Sweetie," River said, taking the Doctor's hand in hers and leading him into the time machine, "Before the guards come by."

He snapped out of his thoughts before bounding towards the console, putting on his "happy adventure time" face on and switching the TARDIS into gear. River followed behind, fixing all the switches and settings as they went along. The Doctor turned around, pointing a finger and narrowing hiseyes. "River..."

"Yes, my love?" she asked, innocently, her hands dropping to her sides.

"You know I hate it when you try to mess with my TARDIS," he huffed, typing the

coordinates into the old, black typewriter, "_I _have been captain of this phone box for several centuries, thank you very much!"

"Honestly," River sighed, "I have no idea what you're talking about! To Genoplaux?"

"To Genoplaux," the Doctor agreed, continuing to eye the woman with suspicion.

APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER...

"This is _not _Genoplaux," River smirked, cockily, "After _centuries _of being pilot..."

"Oh, shut up!" the Doctor replied, grumpily, looking back at the console, "I _know _I put in the right coordinates!"

"Obviously not," she retorted, "Why else are we in Leadworth?"

"Maybe if you weren't mes- Did you say _Leadworth_?" He stopped, replaying her words. Leadworth? Had he subconsciously typed in the coordinates to Amy's house? The Doctor ran towards the door and threw them open, instantly recognizing the house.

"Actually, it's upper Leadworth," she clarified, "More quiet and dull, if at all possible. Dad _always _wan-"

"I know. I've been here before." He instantly recognized the old house with the overgrown plants dangling in front of the doorway. He recognized the open fields, tall grass swaying in the breeze, and the flower pots that the Doctor had once accidentally broken on his way out of the TARDIS. "I was here once," the Doctor murmured, walking towards the home, "In a dream. Well, it was more a nightmare, really."

"Doctor!" River hissed, not understanding what her husband was up to, "What are you doing? Just get back in the TARDIS and_ I'll _get us to Genoplaux!"

He stopped and turned around, waiting for the blonde to catch up. "I put in the right coordinates," the Doctor stated, cutting River off from another smart comment, "The TARDIS doesn't always take us where we _want_ to be. She takes us to where we _need _to be." And for some reason, Amy needed the Doctor... Or maybe it was him that was needing her. His hands shook and his stomach filled with butterflies at the thought of being just a wall away from his Amelia Pond. _His_ Amelia Pond, the girl that loved him.

The Doctor knocked on the door, hesitantly, preparing for a flash of red hair, for Amy to open the door with shock as she realized her best friend was still alive. She'd be angry at first, until the Doctor flashed his award-winning smile. She'd jump into his arms, overcome with joy, and he'd hold her tight and inhale her scent and touch her glorious red hair. They'd all go inside and catch up over tea. Green for Amy, chamomile for the Doctor and River and Rory. Then, when no one else was looking, he'd give her a knowing look, and Amy would get it. She'd get that he knew how she felt. She'd act surprised at first, nervous and insecure, but he'd giver a smile and slip his hand into hers underneath the table. But that wasn't at all what happened.

"Doctor?"

"Rory!" So, it wasn't Amy who answered the door. He felt a little disappointed, but she had to be in the house somewhere. Besides, the Doctor missed the Centurion, though he'd never say that out loud. Rory looked a bit different though. He seemed... Older. His eyes... There was a certain sadness to them. And then of course... "Really, Rory? The ponytail? _Again_?"

"Coming from the man in the bow tie!" Rory retorted, reaching for his long hair self-consciously.

"Bow ties are cool," he sniffed, adjusting his fashionable neckwear, "Ponytails aren't. You'd think with a fashion model wife, he'd know the trends these days."

"What? Doctor-" Rory frowned, then lit up with realization, with hope, "You must be from be- before. That means- Is she with you?"

The Doctor looked at his friend, oddly, "You mean River? Yeah, she's right here."

"Hi, Dad!" River waved, before reaching over to hug her father, who was back to being confused. The Doctor didn't make a note of it, though, seeing as he usually was in a state of confusion around the Time Lord.

"Wait," Rory breathed, glimmer and excited twinkle fading, replaced with sadness and something the Doctor didn't quite understand: pity. "When was the last time you saw me?"

"Lake Silencio," the Doctor replied.

"Your wedding. When we rebooted the universe," River recalled.

"You don't know..." the man whispered, eyes growing soft and shoulders slumping.

Before the Doctor had a chance to ask what on Earth Rory was talking about, a little body moved in front of the door, latching onto Rory's legs. "Daddy," the girl said, "Who are you talking to?" She was wearing a purple princess costume with a lopsided crown on her dark blond hair, looking up at the two visitors with eyes identical to her father's. She had a button nose, and the Doctor tried placing where that came from. _Shame,_ the Doctor thought, _Poor little girl was cheated out of Amy's looks._

"Just some old friends, darling."

"Hi!" the Doctor grinned, "I'm the Doctor!"

"Come play dollies with me!" the girl whined, tugging at her father's trousers and ignoring the strange man's extended hand, "Your tea is getting cold!"

"Oh my God," River whispered, unable to hold the excited grin off her face, "That's my sister! I have a little sister!" Due to River's insistent begging, Rory reluctantly let the two time travellers into his home, leading the Doctor into the kitchen for tea while River ran off with her newlyfound sibling to bond over invisible tea and inanimate guests. The two men sat at the old table, awkwardly sipping their steaming mugs. The whole house seemed very old-fashioned and homey. Warm colors were painted on the walls, covered in pictures and art projects made from a child. The furniture was slightly worn and wasn't familiar at all with the Doctor. What was wrong with the stuff he had gotten them?

"Nice place you have here," the Doctor commented, though it wasn't completely true in his opinion. There was somethiung else about this place that gave him unease. "What was wrong with the place I got you?"

Rory shrugged, his tone sadly reminiscent. "Too many memories."

"Isn't that the point? Building a happy home loaded with memories?"

"Not those kinds of memories." Rory looked own into his mug, before starting, "Doctor, I'm not exactly sure _how_ to tell you this."

"What?"

"I mean... You don't know anything. How much can I say?" Rory asked, though it seemed he was talking to himself.

The Doctor set his cup down, and stared his friend down with a puzzled expression. "Rory," he said, warily, "You're starting to worry me. What is it?"

"It's like when we saw you at Lake Silencio," the man continued, as if he hadn't have even heard the Time Lord, "And all that 'fore knowledge'! You and Amy were the two geniuses, not me! I can't figure this all out by myself!"

"Rory-"

"Daddy?" the little girl called from the next room, "Can River make me pretty?"

"I told her to ask you first," River added, leaning against the door frame. This wasn't what the blonde had planned on doing for her honeymoon, but she wasn't complaining. She was really enjoying this girl time, starting to wonder what the Doctor thought about becoming a father. The biggest war criminal in the universe and the time-travelling madman on opposite timelines... What a conventional family that sounded like.

"Yeah, but no glitter. It takes forever to wash it all off her," Rory sighed, then yelled back, "Lily, no glitter!"

"Okay!"

"Clever," the Doctor smiled, "Lily Pond... Like a pond lily!"

"Actually, it's Lily _Williams_."

"Sure," he snorted, "Why don't you leave the naming to Amy?" Rory seemed to shrink and the Time Lord was starting to piece things together. Rory's old, sad eyes, his reactions to Amy's name, the decor of the house. It wasn't [i]her[/i]. Amy liked cool colors with a smart, young feel to it. And why would a model be living in Upper Leadworth when she already confessed it as "hardly me"? The Doctor looked at the photographs. She wasn't in any of them. _Stupid Doctor_, he thought, ashamed of not noticing before, _Stupid, stupid Doctor_!

"Lily isn't Amy's," the Doctor realized. River was still hanging in the doorway when he said this, and moved in closer. "Is she?"

"N-no," Rory replied, but didn't elaborate.

"Where is she?" he asked, voice intensity increasing. Something told him this was more than just a simple divorce. The TARDIS brought the Doctor here for a reason!

"What do you mean she isn't Amy's?" River cried. In her mind, her family was perfect. Her parents loved each other. It was that sort of love River had always hoped to find with the Doctor. If Rory and Amy couldn't stay together, what did that say for her marriage, where all the odds were against them?

"Hush, River!" her husband ordered, eyes staring deeply into Rory's. The Doctor knew her whole belief system, her perfect family picture, had just shattered, but there were bigger things to worry about. "Rory, _where is she_?"

"She- she's dead. Amy died nine years ago."

**Review. Subscribe. Favorite. Because you know there's a little part of you that wants to(; **


	30. I Never Escaped

**Yes, now I know you all want to see the Doctor's reaction to Amy's revealed condition, but... Well, isn't one of the main themes of Doctor Who that not all is at it seems? So, sorry, but there's another point of view in this story to be heard! Not sure when I'll update next. I still have to work out some kinks for the ending :P Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Enjoy!**

**Oh, and by the way... I do not own Doctor Who in anyway(: But if I did, you best know I'd make Karen Gillan stay on for at least another season and make the Doctor and Amy be together! _**

"'Tick tock' goes the clock,

And all the years they fly.

'Tick tock' and all too soon,

You and I must die."

Amy stirred. _Ugh. That stupid song_! She tried sitting up, but was instantly blinded by a dizzying headrush. She was in a bed, a soft bed, but Amy couldn't open her eyes. "Ow."

"You're awake!" Amy jumped, eyes popping back open in surprise, squinting at the bright white walls. She knew that voice. It was one of the children from the song that had haunted her for months.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked, voice cracked and dry, as she looked at the little girl beside her. She was wearing a white sundress that blended in with the walls and gave Amy a toothy smile. "Am I dead? Oh my God. I'm dead, aren't I?"

"No, you're not dead, silly!" the girl chuckled, "They said you would be confused when you woke up." There was something familiar about her. She had strawberry blonde hair with brown eyes and a clever smile, but Amy could not seem to recognize her as she wracked her brain for the girl's identity.

"Who's '_they_'?"

"The doctors, of course," she replied, simply, "Don't panic, though. You're not hurt or anything, but you've been asleep for awhile. We're safe here. We're at Demon's Run."

Amy's blood went cold. How did she get to Demon's Run? The last thing she remembered was laying in bed with Rory, the excruciating pain of her headache, the voices... And then... Nothing. She still had nightmares about this place. The redhead looked at her surroundings. The stairs leading to the door, the all-white furniture, and the wide window showing the main corridor. It was the same room from last time. "How did I get here? How long have I been asleep?" Amy asked, her voice going up a few octaves in fear and panic.

The girl sighed, "You're panicking. I told you not to panic." How could she seem so relaxed in this place of evil and heartlessness? It made Amy wonder if this girl was actually an enemy, though she couldn't even imagine this girl capable of harming a fly. Still, if there was one thing that she had learned from the universe, it was not to judge a book by its cover. "I don't know exactly how you got here, or how long. I've only been here for a few months or so. I'm actually not even allowed to be in here. This room is restricted."

It may have explained the voices in Amy's head. It was actually the girl, who snuck in from time to time... Like a little glimpse of reality... _I never truly escaped_, Amy's mind gasped. Her idea of reality began to slur. The Doctor had said that all those times in the TARDIS were real, that she was there emotionally and mentally, just not physically. But was that conversation even real? Was _this_ real? Amy tried to calm herself. _Don't worry, Amy,_ she told herself, _The Doctor will come. Him and Rory will come save you. They _will _find you!_

"I don't understand," Amy said, trying to control her voice, "Who are you? What's your name?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you," she murmured, eyes growing stony. An idea of her identity sprung at Amy, but all too quickly pulled away before she had the chance to fully grasp it.

"Why not?"

The girl shrugged. "I can't remember. I just know I cant." Amy knew that must mean there were Silence on board, making her that much more fearful for her life. She couldn't remember how or why, but Amy had a feeling that they were capable of a lot of things, dangerous, painful things.

"So, what am I supposed to call you?" Amy asked, "Just 'Little Girl,' then?"

"Yes," she answered, not sure what to tell the woman. She didn't want to lie, but they had told her not to... Though, she wasn't quite sure why or who...

Amy pursed her lips. She could tell the child wanted to please her, to be her friend. Another thing the redhead had learned as the Doctor's companion was how to get people to open up to you, even if you were a complete stranger five minutes before. "What if I tell you my name?" she suggested.

"I already know your name," the girl smiled, taking a deep breath before speeling out facts, "You're Amelia Jessica Pond, born in Scotland, but you moved to Leadworth when you were 7. Then, you met the Doctor. Your parents are Augustus and Tabetha Pond and you have an aunt named Sharon. You worked as a kissogram until you were 22. Then, you were found in a grocery store and became a model. You married Rory Williams on June 26th, 2010, after being best friends for 14 years. You also spent two years as the Doctor's companion until he left you. Again."

"Whoa. I'm not going to lie... I think that's a little creepy," Amy stared, mouth open in disbelief, but couldn't stop herself from laughing, "Do you have my biography or something?"

The girl laughed along, "No. I read your files."

"Why?"

The girl's eyes became stony again. "Uh, I don't know. I was bored. What's a kissogram?"

"Uh, well..." Amy searched for a lie to throw at her. She wasn't about to tell the girl that she went to parties and kissed random people for a living! "What's your name?" Amy countered.

"I asked you first," the girl returned, eyes narrowing. They reminded Amy a bit of herself when her questions got unanswered.

"No, you didn't!" she pointed out, "Now, come on. Tell me."

"But I.. I'll get in trouble," the girl said, hesitantly.

"You're in a restricted room and talking to a restricted prisoner. Something tells me you're a bit of a rebel." This girl had spunk, wasn't afraid of breaking rules, wasn't afraid of trouble. The Doctor had once mentioned to a younger Amelia that she didn't seem to be afraid of anything, not of a strange man eating fish and custard right across the table from her. This girl seemed to be just as brave. And that's when it hit our redhead. How had she not considered it before? Brown eyes the shade of Amy's that looked so kind like Rory's, the way they hardened when she was keeping a secret, followed by a quick subject change... Just like River. Her clever smirk and the way she seemed so controlled despite the chaos she caused, just like Mels. The fact that she knew so much more than Amy. "Oh my God," Amy gasped, peering closer and noticing all the familiar features, "No... _Melody_?"

She smiled, meekly. "Hello, Mummy."

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	31. A Few Of My Least Favorite Things

**Here's the thing, guys. I uploaded the wrong chapter! SO, sorry to anyone that was super confused. Like Marcus S. Lazarus for example, who was the one that brought it to my attention that they were all of a sudden becoming a search party. This is the right one! I've checked three times!(: And then, I'll repost "A Promise to the TARDIS" a little later tonight. I was still kind of smoothing the rough edges on that one :P**

**Alright, lovely readers! YOU MAY NOW READ THIS BECAUSE IT _WILL_** **MAKE MORE SENSE! Trust me. I'm FallOutGrl02(;**

The Doctor jumped out of his chair, springing into action. He had left so she'd be safe, but it still didn't work. He ran his long fingers into his hair, pacing back and forth, trying to get his mind in order. He tried to remain calm. "How?" he asked, quietly, but repeated it loudly before Rory even had a chance to answer him, "How?"

"I don't know if I can tell you," Rory replied, a little frightened and unsure.

"So, wait then," River interrupted, "Who's Lily's mother?"

"You remember Helen?"

"_Helen_?" she practically shrieked, smiling with no amusement, "You mean that dull, little girl that followed us around all the time? _She's _my stepmother? I can-"

"River, not now!" the Time Lord barked, turning back to Rory, "What happened to Amy? Tell me now!"

The Doctor was in his dark mood, eyes cast threateningly, fists clenched and shaking. He was like this the last time Amy had been taken and it absolutely frightened Rory. But he knew he couldn't tell him. Amy had told him not to. It was one of the last things she had asked of her husband. But Rory also knew that the Doctor wouldn't stop fighting for her, not even after her last dying breath. He had seen it. "January 12th, 2012," Rory finally answered, "At the flat that you got us. That's all I can tell you, Doctor. I'm sorry."

The Doctor gnashed his teeth together in frustration at Rory's secret-keeping, not understanding why he couldn't just tell him how to save her, where she was, anything to help her. Why didn't Rory want Amy to be saved? He understood that Rory loved Lily and Helen, but honestly… Would he really choose this life over Amy? He was too angry to answer, and just nodded wordlessly before marching quickly out into the front yard, River and Rory trailing after him.

"Doctor, please!" Rory huffed as he caught up with the Doctor at the TARDIS doors, River going inside to start up the engines.

"I'll bring her back, Rory," he promised, but was mainly telling himself. The man across from him looked like he had already chosen whether or not to believe the Doctor. Of course, for once, Rory was the one who knew all the answers. "I won't stop until I find her. And I will make the Silence pay for ever having taken Amy away from me- from us, I mean."

Rory smiled, softly, "I know. You'll save her this time. But someday, Doctor, you won't get there in time."

Before the Doctor could respond, ask what Rory meant about _this time_ or what else he knew that he was telling the old Time Lord, the TARDIS began to fade into the time vortex, the door slamming in his face. The hopeless, sad look Rory had… It scared the Doctor. Rory had given up hope on her, something the Mr. Pond he knew would never do. Was he right? Would the Doctor not come back on time for his Amy, the girl who always seemed to be waiting?

**A Short Amount of Time Later**

"Doctor! I knew you'd come! Thank God!"

"What happened, Rory?" It was a younger, ponytail-less Rory, one that had the same determination and fire in his eyes that the Doctor knew were in his. This was the Rory he would need to help find Amy, to help save her.

"We were lying in bed a few nights ago," he began to explain, sitting on the bottom step of the stairs, rubbing his eyes with his hands. It had only been three days ago, but Rory hadn't slept a wink since. He just kept picturing Amy, hearing her screams. Both River and the Doctor could tell due to the bloodshot eyes and grubby appearance. The man was a mess. River sat next to her father, wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulders. She was still angry about the whole "Helen" thing, but now wasn't the time and place to dwell on the perfect family portrait that had just shattered in her brain. "I woke up to Amy screaming, and then… She- she just..."

"She just _what_?" the Doctor pushed, ignoring River's glare telling him to be a little more sensitive. There was no time for sensitivity, not while Amy was out somewhere suffering, possibly dying. Being left out of the loop was one of his least favorite things, and the last Rory had already tested a lot of the old man's patience.

"She… Burst," Rory answered, searching for the right words, but not really finding them. "She's still up there. What's left of her, that is. I- I haven't gone up there since. It's that F-"

Instantly, the Doctor bounded up the stairs and took a sharp right down the hallway to the Ponds' bedroom. It was a little bit more boring than their room on the TARDIS, the one without the bunk beds, but then again, they were adults. And adults always had boring bedrooms, or at least that was what the Doctor had gathered from his experiences. He looked around, eyes staying sharp and sonic screwdriver in hand. It was just a few moments before he threw the beige comforter over head, revealing a puddle of thick, white goo. He didn't even need to scan it to know what it was. "The Flesh," the Doctor murmured. And instantly, he knew exactly where she was. _But why? _the Doctor asked himself, _Why are they targeting her? They're supposed to think I'm- Wait._

Rory and River looked up as the Doctor dangled his head over the banister to look down at the stairs. "So?" Rory asked.

"Important question, Rory," the Doctor replied, words starting to pick up speed as his brain worked, "Why aren't you the least bit confused about why I'm here?"

Rory shrugged, "Like Amy said, you 'always come back.'"

"Yeah, but I died on Lake Silencio, remember?" he reminded him, pointing the sonic screwdriver at his chest.

"No, you didn't," Rory sighed, shaking his head. He didn't quite understand why this all mattered. Shouldn't they be heading off into the TARDIS to save his wife? What was there to investigate? Either she was dead, or she was with the Silence. Both options left the poor man fearing of the days he might have to spend alone without his red-headed wife there to make him laugh and amaze him with her beauty and charm and with and everything that made her the most special woman in his universe. "We know all about you hiding in that miniaturizing Trifecta robot or whatever."

"Teselecta," the Doctor corrected, scurrying down the stairs and kneeling at eye level with his friend, "But that's not the important thing. What I'm wondering is how _you _know. Only-"

"River told us. She came over the night of the Byzantium."

River's eyes popped open in shock and a nervous smile grew on her face as she felt the hot glare of her husband seek her gaze. "Spoilers!" she cried, sweetly, but she knew the Doctor would be angry. She knew she was in for a lecture.

"River!" he groaned, slapping his hand to his forehead, "How could you tell them? I specifically told you not to! You can keep all the secrets in the universe from me, but I ask for you to keep your mouth shut about _one_ thing and you go and tell the _exact_ people I'm trying to keep it from? That was stupid, selfish, and irresponsible!"

"Why are you yelling at me?" she replied, defensively, crossing her arms, "I haven't even done it yet!"

"But you _will_ and that is all that matters!"

"I'm confused," Rory said, eyes staring at the front door. He never really understood the "time travel talk." Usually, Amy was there to translate, but now he was just lost.

"Amy's at Demon's Run," the Doctor explained, "She may not have ever escaped, which is why it wasn't really that difficult to save her. They wanted me to think I was winning the whole time, remember?"

"But why?" River asked, "No offense to Mummy, but what can they even use her for? Bait?"

"I think they used her as a spy," the Doctor answered, still looking for the answers himself, "At first. They could have used her to run tabs on me, make sure I never reached Trenzalore. But then I left her, off to my death. They could have just decided that they had no more use for her, then. And that means… Well, that means… That she's probably… Gone." The words sent fear and huge tidal waves of sadness and guilt raging inside the minds of the two men. Rory felt guilty for not protecting Amy better. The Doctor felt guilty for the danger he had caused in her short life. Only River knew exactly what would go down at Demon's Run, but she couldn't say. Spoilers.

It was Rory who brought words of hope, as he remembered the last night of her life, her face filled with such joy and happiness as they learned the news that- "Wait," Rory said, suddenly, "The night that Amy… Well, it was the same night that River told us. That can't just be coincidence, Doctor."

"No," he agreed, his mind racing to piece the puzzle together, thinking aloud, "River wasn't just telling you and Amy. She was telling the Silence, too. And now, they're luring me out. They've taken someone I love to reveal myself. And it is definitely working. Don't you see?"

River stared at the Doctor, but he didn't look back. She knew this was all her fault and she didn't blame him for being angry, but surely he'd forgive her at some point, right? She had no idea why she told, but something told her that she'd have a good reason. Besides, had River not told them, they never would have known and the Silence would have "decommissioned" the real Amy wouldn't have been far behind, either. "Doctor, I'm sorry," she apologized, knowing just how guilty he must feel. The Doctor never liked the part of his job that put his friends and companions in constant danger. It was his least favorite part. Still, she knew that once things worked themselves out, the Doctor would forgive her. River would just have to deal with his temper a bit longer.

"Apologies are not going to help us find her," the Doctor said, curtly, as he pushed past the two Ponds and opened the front door.

"Where are you going?" Rory asked.

Despite what all his friends said, the Doctor was a man of war. He had assisted the end of the existence of all Time Lords but himself. Thousands have died at the hands of that ancient man, whether they be friend or foe. Species have gone extinct and planets have been crushed, some due to him. The last time at Demon's Run had the made him want to tone it down, to keep calm, but not when Amy was at stake. She changed the whole equation. He'd start a war for her, live up to his name as "The Oncoming Storm," throw away every rule the Doctor had set for himself down in a heartbeat. He'd fight for his Amy Pond and the Silence _would_ pay. Being made a fool of, being tricked, having the one human he loved most taken away… Well, those were a few of the Doctor's least favorite things.

"Come along, Ponds. We're off to save Amy."

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	32. A Promise To The TARDIS

**Here's the next chapter, yo(: This time it's in the correct order! Oh, and even if you already read it before I realized my mistake... I would recommend reading it again. Just to piece it all in order in your mind :P Enjoy!**

"No offense, Doctor," Rory said, standing in the console room, "But we're hardly an army. Shouldn't we go recruiting? Like last time?"

The Doctor turned from the console, brow furrowed in frustration and thought. They'd been looking for Amy for two whole weeks in almost every corner of the universe, but no one knew anything. Even if they did, they were either too scared of the Silence to talk, or had their memories altered a bit by that mysterious race that no one could seem to remember, only fear. "Last time, friends of mine died, Rory," he replied, quietly, noticing just how obvious it was in his tone that he was trying not to scream out, "Last time, I was tricked and made a fool of. Last time, we failed to save Amy. And that won't happen again."

"Besides," River added, cheerfully, resting a hand on the shoulder of the Doctor's tweed jacket, "The Doctor is equal to an army of your strongest soldiers. He scared away tens of thousands of starships just by talking, remember?" Her husband tried to smile in response, but it didn't quite reach his eyes like they usually did, like they did when Amy was around. He folded his arms and looked down, studying his boots intently.

"Well, what are we supposed to do now? We've been looking for weeks!" Rory cried, "What if we never find her? Then what'll we do, Doctor?"

The Time Lord didn't answer. The same questions lingered in his own mind, wondering what on Earth he would do if this was really the time that he wouldn't be able to save his Amy Pond. But there were no answers. He didn't know what to do next. He didn't know where to go. He didn't know what he was going to do without her if he failed. All the Doctor knew was that he was that he missed her. He missed his Amy. And he was so tired. So, instead of gracing Rory's question with a reply, the Doctor turned around, wordlessly, towards the hallway.

"Sweetie," River said, quietly, trying to stop him by grabbing onto his sleeve, but her husband kept moving, not looking back.

Rory and River exchanged looks of worry and fear and despair. If the Doctor didn't have the answers, then who did? He was the man that was always a step ahead of everyone else, who always had a plan, who hoped far-flung hopes and dreamt of impossible dreams. He never gave up. Until now. Without Amy by the Doctor's side, her rescue becoming more and more of an improbability, there was no hope in those green eyes, no quirky energy to push him through his lows. She was the flashlight that helped guide him out of the darkness, and without her, the Doctor was stuck in the pitch black.

He wandered down hallway after hallway for what seemed like hours, so tired and exhausted but having no desire to find his bedroom. The Doctor passed by bedroom after bedroom of his old companions, memories surging from each one. That was the reason his room was so near the console room. The farther back this got, the more refreshed his memories were. And for some, that wasn't a good thing. There was the oak door with a wooden rose carved into the door, a golden handle as the knob. The Doctor knew it was Rose Tyler's room, the first human girl to ever have had the Doctor considering settling down. He had never loved a companion like Rose, but looking back, he realized that it was nothing compared to Amy. He hadn't fought to stay with Rose, never saying the three words she wanted to hear so badly, letting his Duplicate replace him. But the Doctor had fought for Amy. He had sacrificed himself and caused the Big Bang 2 for her. He had stuck his arm into a shark's mouth to save her from a crashing starship. His last moments in Berlin were spent trying to save her. On Lake Silencio, it was Amy that the Doctor had almost ruined his whole plan for. And when they had first taken her, it was Amy the Doctor had started a war for. He had loved Rose Tyler. But it was nothing compared to Amy.

The Doctor passed the oak door and continued before running into another familiar door. The wood was painted white with a golden doorknob, the name "Martha" engraved in a golden plate that hung upon the door. Martha Jones… The Doctor at times wondered if he would have had feelings for her, had she not preceded Rose. She loved him just as much as Rose, was just as dedicated and loyal as Rose, yet he felt nothing for her but friendship. It was her unreturned feelings in the end that brought Martha's departure. It was the same reason Rose would eventually choose John Smith over him.

"_You've never been good with expressing your feelings to others, dear_," a voice said inside his head. It was the TARDIS, the one girl that had stayed behind with the ever-changing madman all these years. She knew everything about him. She knew all the Doctor's mistakes, faults, memories he cherished and memories he hid from himself.

The Doctor didn't reply. Honestly, he was a little ticked off at the TARDIS. She was supposed to take him to where he needed to be. And he needed to save Amy. Why hadn't she taken him to the correct place? "_Oh, my little thief is angry with me, isn't he_?" she asked, "_You're not ready to save Amelia Pond just yet._"

"What do you mean 'not ready'?" he huffed, continuing his walk down the hall, passing Jack's and Sarah Jane's, Jo's and Susan's, hesitating at Donna's door, the wood a deep cherry. Donna Noble… His other redhead. She reminded him of Amy so very much, and not just because of their shared hair color. They were both the best mates he had ever had, and if the Doctor hadn't feared Donna remembering his presence and having her mind burnt up as she turned into a Time Lord, then he would have invited her to Lake Silencio with them. She was one of the people he had trusted most as well. Though, the Doctor had never put his life into anyone else's hands but Amy's. "I need her," the Doctor confessed, looking away from the door, "I need Amy. Rory's not witty enough to banter with and River doesn't have that same loud, obnoxious laugh that actually makes telling jokes enjoyable."

"_Maybe you should tell Amy that_," the TARDIS suggested, as the Doctor began his endless walk.

"Maybe I would if you'd tell me where she was at!"

"_Would you_?"

"I… Well, I don't know," the Doctor replied, "It's a bit more complicated than that, old girl. I have River. And she has Rory. There's just… Too many obstacles in the way. It's hopeless."

"_Well, now you sound like that Martha girl_," she teased, "_Always pining for you, but never getting anything in return. And then she gave up, called it a lost cause. Is your Amy a lost cause, Little Thief?_"

"No," he replied, automatically, "Of course not. I won't stop until I find her. I love her." The TARDIS didn't reply, and the Doctor began to think she had ended the conversation. He continued walking in complete silence for fifteen more minutes before a certain door came into view. It was TARDIS blue with drawn signs indicating that the visitor should "Keep Out!" and "Knock First or Prepare for a Shoe to Whack Your Big Head!" taped to the door. On one sign, there was a picture of the Doctor in his bow tie and tweed, face pinched in pain as a shoe smacked him in the face. It was one of Amy's cartoons. She had made it one day when the Doctor tried making her watch "The Three Stooges" again. He thought they were _hilarious_, but after the first 14 times, Amy had stopped finding humor in it. He remembered teasing her as she showed him her finished artwork.

_ "I took you with me to laugh at my jokes and have adventures, Pond," the Doctor grinned, "Not draw cartoons of me and doodle my name next to some hearts in your notebook."_

_ "You're just jealous of my talent!" Amy sniffed, "You can't shut up five minutes to even take time to make a masterpiece like this!"_

_ "Right… A _masterpiece_."_

_ "That's it! Just wait until I untie my boot!" Amy laughed, starting remove her shoe as the Doctor ducked behind the console._

The memory brought a reminiscent smile to his lips, a melancholy glaze over his green eyes. That was before everything had gotten so messed up, before the Doctor had even known she was getting married to Rory. But he knew he had passed this door a long time ago. It should have been practically on the other side of the TARDIS. The door opened on its own accord, the Doctor's nose catching of whiff of pure Amy. Sweet pea and lavender. This was their old room, the one Amy and Rory had before they had asked for an upgrade from the bunk beds. The blue of the walls matched the door and the beds were pushed up against the far wall. "What are you up to, old girl?" the Doctor asked aloud, cautiously entering the room.

_"Must I always be up to something_?" the TARDIS asked, innocently.

"Yes," he quickly replied, eyeing the wall to his right. It was the one that was covered in Amy's old pictures. There was nothing quite recent, not since their change in rooms, but the Doctor knew there probably weren't any in their new one. Their adventures towards the end weren't all so very cheery. He looked at the newer photos, the one River had taken of the Doctor, Rory, and Amy with President Richard Nixon, the photo a Williams relative had taken of the three doing a funny pose at Rory and Amy's wedding, a picture of the Doctor and one of his snowmen that Amy took while they were on Kazran's planet on Christmas. And then there was the picture he took, so much like young Kazran's picture of Abigail. It was of Amy grinning and staring in wonder at the flying fish in the storm clouds. The Doctor loved that look. It was what kept the universe still interesting despite his many trips to every single part of it. He distinctly remembered the feeling he had while he took this, feeling so happy and alive with Amy next to him, feeding off her energy. She always made the universe ten times more brilliant. No wonder why everything was starting to get duller and duller without her.

"_You've never really liked looking back at old memories_," the TARDIS remarked, snapping the Doctor's attention back to the present moment, "_But you forget that not all memories are painful._"

"I don't want to talk to you unless it's you telling me where Amy is," the Doctor sighed, starting to feel his exhaustion build and take over his body.

"_You're not ready yet, my thief. First, you must make me a promise_."

The Doctor smirked, "I knew you were up to _something_." He made his way over to the bed, climbing up the ladder to Amy's bunk, while wondering what the blazes _wasn't _cool about these things. Her blankets still smelled like her, as did the pillows, and the Time Lord didn't even try to resist the urge to snuggle deep into them, not caring that he was still fully dressed with shoes and jacket on. Instead, he turned his attention to the mountain of plushies, pushing them all away from his and trying to make room for his head. The only time the Doctor had ever really liked sleeping with stuffed animals was when he was just a young, little Time Boy, all those centuries ago.

"I know she's different," the Doctor agreed, letting out a tired yawn while he continued to shovel away the animals, "But it's complicated, far too complicated to explain right-" He stopped suddenly, his fingers brushing against something rough, something that felt home-made, something made by the hands of a child. Curious, the Doctor fished for it, digging his hand into the bottom of the pile and picking it up like a claw machine. Upon pulling it out, the Doctor realized that it was _him_ in his Raggedy Doctor garb. It was a rag doll with big, black button eyes, a sewn-in grin, and brown yarn thrown around in disarray, representing the Doctor's disheveled 'do. Though crudely cut and sewn, the Doctor thought it was absolutely perfect as he held the doll in his large hands. "Oh, Amy," he gasped.

"_See_?"

"I would have never guessed my biggest fan to be in _Leadworth_ of all places," the Doctor joked, rubbing his thumb over the silky fabric of his tie.

"_Promise me, Doctor_," the TARDIS repeated, "_Promise me you'll tell her_."

The Doctor paused. "Yes. Yes, I promise, dear. I'll tell her." No one said anymore. The blue time machine let her little thief rest, shielding him from River and Rory for the night, as the Time Lord fell into a deep slumber cuddling his doll and dreaming of a little Scottish girl in Leadworth who was looking up into the stars and waiting for her Raggedy Doctor to come back to her.

**Ooh! And, on a personal note, I am totally wanting to make some fanvids on Youtube because when I listen to the radio now, I make an Eleven/Amy connection with at least 78% of them! Anyways, if anyone has any recommendations on what video editing software is the best... I may just love you forever.**

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	33. Stories Amy Used To Tell Me

**Now, I didn't actually plan on posting until this weekend, but I just found out that RIGHT now... Steven Moffat is working on the Ponds' departure. And it made me all sad inside and now I just want to go crawl in a corner and cry myself to sleep. No frigging joke. I can't even begin to imagine an awesome-r companion, but seeing as I really got into this like.. In November and started watching it from the 5th series... I don't know. Maybe I'll get used to the change someday. But as for now, I HATE IT! **

**This is the idea that helped my whole story come together(: I was watching "Let's Kill Hitler" and Mels was talking about all the stories Amy used to tell her, and I got this idea that she actually used to tell her as a little girl. As Melody, not Mels. Enjoy, my readers(: Sorry for the long A/N!**

**Ooh, and I haven't done this in awhile, so here's just a reminder: I don't own Doctor Who or any of its characters. Or else I wouldn't be an emotional wreck right now :/ BEGIN READING!**

"Turns out the little kid was really an alien," Amy concluded, finishing the story of her being trapped in a doll house by a little boy who hid all his fears in a cupboard. "He was afraid of his parents sending him away."

Melody pursed her lips, deciding which question to ask. Her mother had told her to hold all questions until after each story after the little girl had shot question after question when Amy had barely uttered a sentence. Melody felt she could somewhat relate to George. Her parents had left her. Of course, it wasn't their fault. Madame Kovarian had long ago to Melody how she came to be an orphan. Her mother and father were living on Demon's Run when a man, a Time Lord had come and taken them away, making them leave their newborn little girl. Kovarian told her stories of how this man had captured Amy's heart when she was a child, then left. She told her all about how her mother was practically the town lunatic growing up, raving about some Raggedy Man. She told Melody how the same man constantly left her parents in pain, how they always fell for his trap. Madame Kovarian would then warn the little girl for the billionth time that she would meet this Time Lord someday, that he would try to take her away from her home, just like her parents. She said that he would cause her heartbreak and pain, just like her parents, so Melody had to be a good girl and resist him, resist the strange man in the blue box.

The stories that Amy told, though, made all this very conflicting, especially the _way_ she talked about it. Every time she said his name, his strange name, Amy's eyes would start to sparkle with admiration and hope, not even noticing the growing smile on her lips. Melody had started to think that maybe Kovarian was wrong. Maybe she had just caught this Doctor character on a bad day. The man was her mother's best friend, apparently. How bad could he really be? But, then the trained part of her brain would scold herself, saying that she hadn't even met the Doctor and already he was getting inside her head. "What was it like to be a wooden dolly?" she finally asked, choosing one of her simpler questions.

"I don't actually remember being a dolly," Amy replied, "But afterwards, my head seemed a bit… Out of it. Y'know what I mean?" Amy was loving this time just as much as her daughter. Even though she had River and Mels, Amy had always been looking for _Melody_, her little baby that had been taken. Though Melody was hardly a baby at this point in time, Amy didn't care. She knew this was as close as she'd probably get to her. She also knew that this was when Melody was being trained as a killer, and had already started trying to work her way into the girl's psyche and break whatever the Silence had planted in her brain. That's where the stories came in. Amy told her adventure after adventure after adventure, all examples of just how brave and good the Doctor was. River had once asked Amy if he was worth it, and the redhead made it her mission to realize that he was, just a little bit earlier in the time stream.

At first, Melody only wanted to hear stories about Rory and Amy, so Amy told her about how he pretended to be in a band, the party where they had shared their first kiss doing the Macarena, and the first time they had met on the playground where a boy was messing with Rory and little Amelia, the strange new girl, had clocked him in the face. She told Melody about how she used to make him dress up and eat fish fingers and custard, just like the Doctor, how Rory used to glare and make a rude comment to anyone who had been staring at his girlfriend's legs a little bit too long. Of course, he'd then cower behind her if the looker was a bit bigger than him. She told her how he used take her on drives up to Upper Leadworth and talk about the future they'd share, stars shining in his eyes as he took her hand in his. She told Melody about how he waited for 2,000 years, protecting Amy's prison. Melody would sigh and say how perfect it all sounded, how she wished that she would find something like that. She would tell her mother that they were the most romantic couple in the universe. And it brought numerous pangs to the woman's heart. Because she also loved another.

Then, Amy started to put her plan in action, and began the stories about the Doctor. . She told Melody about vampires who actually turned out to be giant fish, rebooting the universe, how she had helped save the last of the star whales, meeting the greatest of artists on the planet Earth, about pirates and sirens, meeting Winston Churchill, fighting Daleks and Cybermen, and the first night she had ever met the Doctor. The only thing in these stories that changed was the name of two people: River and Mels. Amy had never been good at the "spoilers" thing, but she felt she needed to honor it anyways. Even if this plan didn't work, even Amy couldn't rewrite time, changing it could make things so much worse.

"I used to play wooden dollies with Eliza," Melody sighed, "We used to sing to you, too. Eliza said that it might help wake you up."

"Who's Eliza?" asked Amy. They never really talked about Melody, only Amy. She'd never give straight answers when her mother asked, or would just say that she didn't quite remember. Honestly, neither of the two really wanted to talk about it anyways. Amy didn't want to hear how her daughter had grown up in an abandoned orphanage with some psychotic man writing messages on walls in blood, all alone and afraid with no one but Kovarian and the Silence to turn to, while Amy was off on adventures, swashbuckling and capturing minotaurs. And Melody didn't want to relive it.

"She was a friend," she replied, quietly adding, "My only friend. But Kovarian took her away just before you woke up. She caught her down here, but I hid. They took her away and now she's gone."

Amy slid her arms around the girl's thin body and hugged her close. "Hey, it's not your fault, Melody. Okay? I'll find her. When I get out of here, I'll find your friend, and we'll get far away from this place."

Melody nodded against her mother's shoulders, holding back her tears. It had long been instilled in her that tears got her nowhere. No matter how many nights she had cried of loneliness in that orphanage, no one came to save her. No matter how many times she had cried for her friend, Eliza would not be coming back. Melody had been told all throughout her short life that no one would stop for her cries. "I have another question," she said, switching the subject as she so often did when things got uncomfortable.

"Shoot," Amy responded, letting go of the embrace, and resuming her position on the chair next to her daughter, petting the strawberry blonde hair on her head.

"What's his name? His real name, I mean. It can't just be 'the Doctor.'"

"You'll have to ask him yourself one day," she replied, "But don't worry. Someday, you'll know." _You'll be loved by the greatest man in the universe. You'll be "Mrs. Doctor," the woman the Doctor tells everything to. And I'll be his… Mother-in-Law, his mad, impossible Mother-in-Law who is secretly pining for him. _

"Why don't you?" asked Melody, "I thought you said you were best friends."

"Yes, but you're the woman who marries the Doctor," she explained, hesitating at first, but deciding that one spoiler wouldn't hurt. Besides, how could this at all hurt the Doctor? It would make Melody realize sooner that killing the Doctor was wrong.

"I _marry_ him?" the girl echoed, her tone incredulous and eyes popping out. She didn't remember this being in her files. While taking Amy's, she and Eliza might have taken a peek at their own, though Melody's was much thicker than Eliza's. Hers was just filled with general information and went on to explain that her mother was working for the Silence; hence her being at Demon's Run. Melody's file had said she would be the woman who killed the Doctor… So which one was it? Would she marry or kill this mysterious man she had never even met?

'Yeah, and he'll love you more than anything in the universe," Amy continued, trying to keep the jealous tone concealed and her wishful thoughts contained, "He'll protect you. He'll come to rescue you, no matter how sticky of a situation you got yourself into. You're the woman he trusts most. I'm just the girl who waited."

Suddenly, the door opened, and the two Ponds looked up in surprise and a twinge of fear on Melody's part. Though Melody went in to Amy's room practically every day, no one had really noticed, seeing as she did it during the hours she was supposed to be asleep, but the Time Lord DNA enabled Melody to go days, sometimes, without sleep if she wanted to. She wasn't allowed to be in there and didn't want to know just how extreme the punishment was. Would she be taken away like Eliza?

"_Just_ the girl who waited?" the voice said, the owner looking down at the two from the top of the stairs near Amy's door with a smile, "Hardly. You're mad. You're brilliant. You're completely impossible. You're the one and only Amy Pond, _my _Amy Pond."

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	34. I Knew You'd Come

**Alright, readers. I guess I'm done being entertained by holding you all on that cliff-hanger now. ^_^ Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You all made me feel super awesome and there might have been some laughter at some of them! I'll do the same thing as last time, since it actually got me like... More reviews than usual, and give you a sneak peek to the next chapter if you send in a review! ENJOY!**

"Oh my-" Amy began, taking in the tall, lanky man in the bow tie and suspenders, but cut herself off, not even finding the words to convey her emotions. She felt such a mixture of things: relief, anger, elation, need, love… It was all jumbled, and Amy didn't even make an attempt to sort it all out. It was the Doctor. It was _her _Doctor, alive and well. She ran towards him and within seconds was greeted by the smell of TARDIS oil, the fabric of tweed against her smooth, pale cheek.

"Hello, Amelia," the Doctor whispered into her hair, pulling her tightly against him, squeezing his eyes shut and just taking her all in. At one point, the Doctor didn't think he'd ever get to feel his Amy in his arms again like this. There were moments where he didn't think he would ever see that fiery red hair, those warm, brown eyes welling up with tears of joy. "Happy crying," he laughed, feeling tears of his own start to fall down his cheeks, "How humany-wumany."

"I knew you'd come," she murmured, further snuggling her face into his jacket.

"Of course," the Doctor said, kissing the top of her head. They didn't speak for a few moments, just standing there and enjoying the feel of the other in their arms after all that time. "Now, I know we're doing the 'hugging and missing' bit, and I hate to ruin it," the Doctor went on, quietly, breaking the silence, "But who is that girl and why is she looking at us like that?"

"Oh, that's-" Amy began to reply, before the alarms started. Melody hadn't moved, continuing to stare at her mother and the man in front of her. She contemplated who it was. Could it be her father? No, she didn't look at all like him. Could it be… The mysterious man from Amy's stories? The man she was either supposed to marry or kill? Could it really be the Doctor?

The Doctor pulled out a walkie-talkie, his idea of course (because walkie-talkies are cool), and spoke into it. "Alright, soldiers. I got Amy. What's with the alarms, River? I thought you turned them off!"

On the other side of the connection was River Song, sitting in the TARDIS' console room looking at the Doctor and Amy and little Melody on the security camera. The Doctor had overridden Demon's Run's systems and now all the security feeds were going into the TARDIS, displayed on the monitor. That was how they found Amy in the first place. Then, the Doctor ran off to go find Amy and take her back to River to run the scans on her to make sure they weren't being tricked yet again. After that, he'd join Rory, who had just returned from the control room and scanned all the access codes for the systems, to start Part Two of their mission. They were going to crash this place and end the Silence. Initially, it was Rory who was supposed to go find Amy. The Doctor had volunteered to go down to the control room, override the systems there, and crash the whole ship down. He wanted nothing more than to see the religious order fall, the ones who were so bent on seeing his death. It was River that had reassigned the tasks, making the Doctor find Amy and having Rory make the dangerous journey to the control room. It was her idea to get the access codes and override the system from the TARDIS, causing the demise of Demon's Run safely from inside the blue box.

She said it was because that was what the Silence were planning on. She reminded the Time Lord that Amy _was_ bait, and that this _was_ a trap for the Doctor. Why would he be placed in the most danger just to be ambushed? Of course, River had forgotten the part about her being with Amy when the Doctor came back to save her. So many memories of her childhood had been suppressed, but not this one. This was the day Melody watched her mother choose the Doctor over her, leave her behind and fly away in the TARDIS with the man in a bow tie. It was what had contributed to a lot of resentment towards him and the Silence had jumped upon it later on, always reminding her of the pain the Doctor had caused her, and how it was only right to return the favor someday. Now, River knew what would really happen, and her stomach started to churn with guilt at the thought of it. She would save the Silence and everyone aboard Demon's Run. She wouldn't let the Doctor take Melody, her younger self. She wouldn't let him even talk to her, because that meant only one thing, and she wasn't ready for it. She would never be ready for it.

"They must have realized we hacked them," River lied, not revealing that it was _her_ that set off the alarms. The Silence would now know the Doctor was with them, and although it made things all the more dangerous, River knew everything would be okay. Rory, Amy, and the Doctor would survive and leave Melody behind. It was what had happened last time. "Get out of there, Doctor!"

The Doctor grabbed onto Amy's hand, whose other slipped into the little girl's. "Come along, Pond!" Amy grinned in response, running alongside him. She missed this. She missed the running, the adventure, the adrenaline. She missed the Doctor. As for Melody, she continued to stare wordlessly, at the tall man. She decided that it was her best guess that this was the Doctor, but didn't know what to say. He was making her tongue-tied. Madame Kovarian had been quite right in saying that the man was charismatic, and even though they had yet to even exchange any words, Melody already felt herself mesmerized, just like her mother was when she was her age.

"Where's Rory?" Amy asked, looking around the empty hallways.

"He _should _be on his way to the control room right now," the Doctor answered, skidding to a halt and making a sharp left, the two females trying to keep up, "We're going to end this, once and for all. They tricked me twice, Amy, and I'm not giving them the chance to do it again."

Within a matter of minutes, the blue box was in sight, just at the end of the hallway the three were bounding down when all of a sudden, Melody stopped and screamed. The Doctor and Amy stopped as well, looking about them quickly. They had no idea what she was screaming about, until they looked at their hands. There was a black tally mark on the Doctor's wrist. "Oh, no," Amy breathed, and the Doctor looked towards their right, just on the edge of their peripheral to see the white figure in the suit. The Silence.

"Give me the girl," its strange voice ordered, but the three were frozen in fear. Had they always looked like this? Amy had never seen anything like it… Well, she had, but she couldn't remember it. The Doctor tried not to look away as he reached blindly for Melody's hand, stepping between her and the figure.

"I don't think so," he answered, gulping. He remembered what the Silence were capable of, influencing human society for centuries. This was no simple being that he could make run away with something as simple as words like he had when the Pandorica was opening. But he also remembered that this was what had taken Amy, his best mate, the only girl in the universe who he truly loved, and soon the anger began to rise up in him, his two hearts aching as adrenaline pumped into his veins. "You're done taking people away from their lives and using them in a war I didn't even want to fight until now. You think I was serious when I had you order all the humans to kill you on sight? Oh, well, you're about to see today that I am quite capable of so much more. I've caused the extinction of more than just one race. Don't think I'll hesitate ending yours, as well."

The Doctor's words and tone spread fear into Amy and Melody. Amy had never liked it when he got angry. On the Starship UK, on the TARDIS when he demanded answers, when he shoved her up against the wall and yelled at her all that time ago in the monastery, and even when it wasn't directed towards her. The coldness in the Doctor's voice sent shivers down her spine, her stomach dropping and her body on edge in nervousness. "Doctor-" she started, looking away from the monster and into the Doctor's face, but not knowing what to say. She had totally lost her train of thought. All she remembered was that he was angry and Amy needed to calm him down and get into the TARDIS before anyone caught them. "Come on, let's just go," she whispered.

He tried not to look in her eyes, feeling them boring into the side of his face and seeking his own, but the Doctor knew what would happen if he looked away. He would forget about the monster standing right in front of them. "Amy," he said, softly, "Take the girl, and get inside the TARDIS."

"I'm not leaving without you," Amy replied, automatically.

"Go, Amy!"

"I won't lose you again."

He could hear it. It was the same voice she used when she had told him on Lake Silencio that she loved him. It was sweet and sad, hopeless yet filled with possibilities all at the same time. His two hearts swelled at the memory and before he could even try to resist it, the Doctor looked away. "Amy…" he murmured back. For some reason, the Doctor felt like they were in danger in that hallway, but he wasn't sure why. He felt like he needed to run. And then, there was that little voice in his head that was telling him to do something. The Doctor tried to guess what it was, but it was so quiet, and he couldn't focus on anything but the way Amy was looking at him, the way her pale hand fit into his perfectly. "I-I need to tell you something. Before anything else happens."

"Yes, Doctor?"

Melody still stared at the figure before her, the only one who still knew about the monster standing just in front of them, but the adults weren't looking. They were talking quietly, too quiet for Melody to know what was going on. She tried to pull on her mother's sleeve, but her hand was out of reach and Melody was too afraid of looking away, of forgetting just like the others. She had seen these before. These were what trained her, what had been brainwashing her with the ideas of the Doctor, and Melody knew that just as soon as she looked away, she would forget this realization. She would forget all this.

"I think- I mean, I-I _know_," the Doctor continued, his words tumbling out too quickly for his mind to put everything in the right order, "Amy, I l-"

"Sorry to interrupt, Doctor," a voice interrupted as heels clicked on the hallway's floors. They all recognized the voice before they even turned their heads. It made Melody's heart freeze, and the Doctor and Amy's blood boil with rage. It was Madame Kovarian. "Honestly, though, this little confession should have happened _ages_ ago. Of course, you waited until the last minute, right before you die to finally spit it out."

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	35. When Melody Pond Met River Song

**Hello, my dear readers(: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! We're going to do the same thing as we've been doing: submit a review, receive a sneak peek to the next chapter, blah blah blah. So, I think what I'm doing with this is instead of making two seperate stories(there will be a sequel to this), I'm just going to make it into two parts... On the same story. BUT AS FOR NOW! Enjoy the next chapter(:**

The Doctor inhaled sharply, not even being able to think of a smart reply. Madame Kovarian just cackled at his shocked eyes and Amy's confused glance that he didn't look over to see. "We've been watching you through Amy, remember?" she reminded him, "Though Amy was so oblivious to your attentions, and vice versa, _we_ saw everything. We saw the way you looked at her, the jump in her heart rate whenever you brushed your lips against her forehead_. _It was how we knew Amy would make the perfect bait. And it all worked out."

Amy didn't know whether or not Kovarian spoke the truth. The larger part of her chose not to, seeing as this woman had tricked them all on more than one occasion, but there was a smaller part of Amy that noticed that everything she had said about _her _feelings were true. She glared at Madame Kovarian, feeling the surge of hatred that had once motivated the redhead to kill her on the alternate timeline. "If you're smart, you'll back off and let us leave. You'll never bother us again," Amy warned, voice low, "Maybe you remember what I'm capable of."

Regarding the alternate timeline, the only things the Silence knew about it was what Amy had heard or talked about afterwards, Kovarian's death being one of them. Seeing as they neither created the timeline, were a Time Lord, nor grew up with a crack in their bedroom wall, they didn't remember any of it. Still, when Kovarian had found out, she was quite surprised, though it was more of a pleasant thing. "I got the summary," Kovarian smiled, and began pacing a circle around the three, "You know, Amy, you remind me of myself a bit."

"Really?" Amy retorted, "Since when were you witty, Scottish, and just _absolutely_ gorgeous?"

The Doctor smirked, trying to hold in some laughter, but a little chuckle may have slipped out. He always loved when she smart-mouthed the enemy. He guessed it was because they had similar approaches. They never really used physical violence, but she and the Doctor just _loved_ to be cheeky when cornered by a hostile alien or human. All his companions had always been brave… But it just wasn't like the confident, feisty brave that Amy had. He never remembered laughing so much in life-or-death situations until he brought his Pond along.

"Cute," Kovarian frowned, not at all as amused as the Doctor, "But I was talking about our drive, our way of keeping compassion out of the way. You're not like his other weaklings of companions, or even the Doctor himself with all his second chances. You don't give anyone second chances. They all followed their precious Doctor around like sick puppy dogs, but now you have _him_ nipping at _your_ heels. The Silence could use someone like you."

"You're the biggest idiot in the universe if you actually think I would join you," Amy snarled, "You stole my baby and raised her to kill my best friend. You ruined my life." She didn't mention anything about her apparent lack of compassion, hoping that that was just a misinterpretation. _Don't listen to her, _Amy told herself, _She doesn't know you. You have _plenty_ of compassion! I mean… So what if we hurl a few insults… We're just kidding. _Still, not even her own mind could quiet the questioning panic. Could she really be like Kovarian?

"Did we? Because it seems like it all started going downhill when the Doctor crashed down from the sky and into your garden. You have more motive to be in this movement than most of us, Amy Pond. He's always leaving you, always making you wait. Aren't you tired of it?"

The Doctor winced, knowing that there was truth in Kovarian's words. He had made Amy wait 12 years filled with psychotherapy and isolation from her peers, just to come back and leave again in a flash. Two more years of waiting, and then he gave her an offer no one could resist. "_So, all of time and space, everything that ever happened or ever will… Where do you want to start_?" It was his fault she had been kidnapped by the Silence, his fault her whole life had been eaten away by the crack in her wall, his fault for her baby taken away, his fault for so much of her pain and tears. If it weren't for Amy holding his hand and pressing his hand reassuringly, the Doctor was sure he would collapse to the floor in guilt.

"Shut up," Amy spat, angrily, and taking a step towards Kovarian, "My life was nothing until he came along. It became the confusing jumble it is because of you and your stupid movement. I'm not scared of you anymore. No, I'm just _royally_ pissed off."

"And I'm not scared of you, either," the woman in black replied, her lips turning into a flat line.

"Are you scared of me, Madame Kovarian?" a voice said from down the hallway, "You'd be stupid if you weren't. You know how highly trained I am. After all, you _are_ the one that arranged all the lessons." It was River Song, walking towards the four in her form-fitting black suit she had once worn while stealing Vincent van Gogh's painting in Royal Collection, the one that showed the TARDIS exploding. But it wasn't her curves that attracted their attention. It was the two guns in her hands. "Hello, Mummy," she smiled, looking over to Amy and giving her a smile. She hadn't said that in a while. The last time she had seen the redhead, the woman had barely even known her. River looked over and noticed the Silence member, her eyes growing slightly bigger in fear. These were the monsters that had hid in the corner of her vision all throughout her childhood. These were the monsters that had turned her into the rebellious assassin she was before the Doctor came along. She didn't even hesitate shooting it, watching with satisfaction as the white being crumpled to the ground, dead.

Everyone else jumped at the ring of the shot, Melody and Amy letting out a little scream. Kovarian winced, thinking it was her that had been hit by the bullet, then shoulders sagging in relief as she realized she was still alive, uninjured. The Doctor gaped at his wife. He never liked the use of guns, even against his most deadly of enemies. It all just seemed so… Barbaric. The Doctor had always made it a goal of his to try and make River see the light, but he knew it was pretty much a lost cause. She was his misspoke psychopath, after all.

Little Melody Pond stared at the blonde woman in awe and wonder, envying the woman for her bravery and confidence that seemed to exude from her in tidal waves. She had no idea who she was, but she had heard her call Amy "Mummy." The woman looked much older than Amy, though, at least by 15 years. She didn't remember hearing about this woman from the stories, nor did she seem to look like anyone she knew. She didn't have the slightest resemblance to Amy, either. "Who is she?" Melody asked, pointing.

River smiled, remembering this moment from her past. "You'll find out soon, my dear. Wait a few years."

"What's your name?" Melody inquired again. She was like Amy and River. She didn't give up. "Mummy never mentioned you. What's your name?"

"Spoilers," River winked, holding her index finger up to her lips. She then returned her attention back to Kovarian. "Give me a reason not to shoot you."

"I'm the woman who raised you, remember?" Kovarian reminded her.

"You sent me to an orphanage with monsters I couldn't even remember and a deranged man who got a little too into finger-painting. You made sure I never had any friends. You lied to me, brainwashed me, and hardened me into the little soldier you wanted me to be. You took away any friend I made and made sure as hell that I always felt alone, reminding me _why_. Why my mother left me, why my father left me. Because the Doctor took them away."

"Is that seriously what you tell her?" Amy cried, wanting to reach out and hold her daughters, to shield Melody from the pain in her future and heal River from the pain in her past.

"Well, of course," River replied, eyes narrowing in disgust at the woman her guns were pointed at, "She had to turn me against the Doctor somehow."

Even the Doctor was somewhat shocked at just how messed up the Silence had been with Melody Pond. He really wished he had saved her before, hadn't failed just like he had with Amy's rescue. That day at Demon's Run, he had never risen so high, making a whole army run away with a few words, with little to no violence on his part. But he had also never fallen so far. He had lost so many friends and had let the girl he loved and her child slip from his grasp, too overrun with his own cocky anger.

"Oh, you're so dramatic," Kovarian sighed, rolling her eyes, "You're the one that couldn't stick with the rules, but you must remember what happens today, River. Tell me. How did it feel, watching the Doctor fall?"

"He doesn't fall, Kovarian," River answered, "Not today. Gratefully, I have yet to see the end of him. I don't think any of us ever will."

"Amy," the Doctor stage whispered to Amy, "The soldiers are coming. You need to get in the TARDIS. We need to make sure this is the real you."

"I told you," the redhead said with finality, "I'm not leaving you behind."

"We're not leaving yet. There's a 'part two' to the plan."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Do you trust me?" The Doctor's green eyes pierced Amy's, their faces so close, closing out the conversation between Kovarian and River. He wanted to kiss her, but he knew this was hardly the time with his wife just a few feet away, two guns in hand.

"Of course I do, you moron," she answered, quickly. Would she be there if she didn't?

The Doctor flashed a grin and grabbed Amy's face with both of his hands on either side, pulling her forehead to his lips. "Then get in the TARDIS, have Rory run the scans, and wait until I come back."

"Don't I always?" Amy joked.

"Yeah," the Doctor frowned, knowing it was so true. Even when he told her it was time to stop waiting, she never had. And he never apologized. It was something the Dream Lord had said he would never do, and it wasn't because the Doctor wasn't sorry. It was because saying sorry was also a promise that it wouldn't happen again. But he wasn't sure if he could keep it, and the Doctor was tired of making promises to Amy that he couldn't keep. "Yeah, you do."

"Doctor, you're my best friend," she said, solemnly, "You know me. So, you must also know that I'm not leaving without you. I trust you, yeah. But trust has nothing to do with this. On the Byzantium, River said that if you were in the room, it was everyone else's job to make sure you got out safely. I'm just doing my job."

The Doctor's jaw tightened in frustration, but knowing that trying to convince her to stay behind, safe in the TARDIS, was useless. He didn't want to yell at her, but it was starting to approach that phase. She was in so much danger. "You're so-" he stopped, searching for a word to describe Amy, but coming at none other than what he had once called Rory, "Human." Ridiculous, driven by their feelings, always getting themselves into trouble. Sort of like the Doctor, himself.

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	36. The Woman I Am & The Girl I Was

**Hi, readers!(: I actually finished writing up the chapter more quickly than I planned... And I kinda love you all. So, I just decided to post a little early! Thanks for all the reviews, and FYI: we're still doing the same review/sneak peek thing. Also, I'm very surprised at how many people have actually tried fish fingers and custard... I thought that maybe it was only ME that wanted to try that stuff :P Enjoy the chapter! **

"I still haven't heard a good argument from you, Madame Kovarian," River smirked, carefully adjusting her fingers on the firearm in her hand.

Madame Kovarian knew two things. Firstly, she knew that River still had a little bit of Melody Pond in her, the girl who followed orders, and one of her most important lessons was to get rid of anyone who hurt her or got in the way. Of course, it was supposed to be against the Doctor, not her instructor, but that was just how things happened. Secondly, the woman in black knew River was still River. She was the woman who married and loved the Doctor, who dismissed years and years of teaching and brainwashing to fall in love with the very man she was raised to hate. Madame Kovarian knew what River was doing the second she had walked into the room, when she had caught the nervous glances River kept making to her husband and her former self, making sure there was absolutely no interactions between the two. River Song was trying to buy time.

"Kill me, then. I already have my last words prepared," Kovarian smiled back, arms folding in defiance. She next asked in an innocent voice, "Has everyone here met?"

The Doctor and Amy exchanged a confused look before turning back to the woman, wondering what the hell she was talking about. As for Melody, she knew, but she had thought nothing of it. Actually, she was quite eager. She was surprised Amy hadn't done it sooner. Wasn't it proper human etiquette to introduce friends and family to one another? As for River, her smirk instantly vanished, eyes growing wide in worry before going stony, hiding her real panic, her mouth in a straight line. "Don't you dare-" she started.

"I messed with your head for _years_, remember?" Kovarian interrupted, "I know that confused, twisted organ inside and out. I know what you're thinking, what you're trying to do. _You're _the foolish one if you think you can get everyone out of here alive and happy _and _save your happy ending."

"I didn't say that was possible," River hissed.

"So, you have to pick one or the other. Something tells me your loving Doctor won't be too happy."

The Doctor took a step up to the blonde, closing the space between them, staring at the back of her head, willing her to look. But she kept her eyes on the woman in front of her. She couldn't look at his questioning gaze. Because she would have to lie to him. Again. "River," the Doctor asked, quietly, "What is she talking about? What aren't you telling me?"

River squeezed her eyes shut, unable to look over to him, but also not being able to bear looking at Madame Kovarian's condescending grin that was starting to spread over her black-painted lips. "Spoilers," she breathed, unable to think of anything else to say in response.

"You can tell Amy and Rory my secrets and blow my cover, but you can't ever tell me _anything_?" he growled, low with just a hint of growing agitation and anger, "I'm so _tired_ of it, River. I'm tired of all the secrets."

River whirled to face her husband, making sure to keep the villainess in her peripheral. "You think I like having to pretend all the time?" she cried, pained, "I hate pretending like I don't know my parents, like I'm not madly in love with you. I hate wasting my time away in a cell for a murder I did not commit, sitting there and waiting for you to pay me a visit. I hate that moment of fear I get every time I see you, afraid that you'll look at me with a blank stare, empty of any recognition, wondering who the blazes I am. But that's just what Fate gave me. I have to keep pretending and I have to keep on keeping secrets from you. And I have to keep saying 'spoilers' with my teasing voice, or I swear I will go _mad._"

The Doctor reeled back, surprised by River's emotional outburst. She never did that kind of thing. The most emotional she had ever gotten was when she was forcing her help upon him on top of the tower in the alternate timeline. River was never one to tell her innermost thoughts or feelings. She was the one that joked and ran and made everyone feel intimidated with her knowledge of their future. The woman hadn't meant to explode and immediately regretted losing control on the situation, but this was important to her. The decision and choice she was making was a careful one. One misstep could ruin everything. "River, I-" he started, trying to explain himself, to make his side of the argument seem less like a complete jerk.

"Time to make a choice," Madame Kovarian announced, just as two more Silence members walked into the room, not even hesitating at the remaining corpse of their fallen comrade. She smoother her black pencil skirt, feeling most safe next to her bosses, River once again getting distracted by the Doctor and not getting her job done. That man would be the end of her, Kovarian knew. "Pick your side, River. Who do you choose today?"

"Those aren't the sides I'm choosing," River corrected, still meeting the Doctor's confused, green irises, "I'm choosing between the woman I am and the girl I was. Which one gets to live with the loss and pain?"

"River," Amy said. The two Silence by Kovarian moved closer to her and Melody, before the Doctor made a half-step to get in between them, acting as a human shield. "What do you mean?"

River didn't reply to Amy, instead addressing the Doctor as she held up her wrist, 6 black marks already tallied. The army was starting to arrive. "There's no time for 'Part Two,' Doctor. We need to leave. Quickly."

The Doctor grabbed Amy and Melody's hands nodding in agreement as his own wrist was starting to fill up with marks. They all looked towards the door, though, and realized that army was blocking their way to the TARDIS. The Silence weren't going to let them leave alive. Not when they had the Doctor surrounded like this. They knew this chance wouldn't come often, and they had to get him before he got to Trenzalore. And Trenzalore was approaching all too quickly. "River, we're surrounded," he hissed, "There's no way out."

Madame Kovarian cackled. "Who to start with first?" she asked, rhetorically, tilting her head to the side as she considered the order of the deaths. "The Doctor will go last for sure. I want him to watch those closest to him die at his feet."

Melody squirmed in Amy's grasp, not wanting to know what came next. She had lived such a short life, so deprived of the outside world. And already it was ending. Amy's heart practically stopped. She wasn't seeing a way out of this. All the Doctor had was his sonic screwdriver, funny attire, and his brains. Usually, that pretty much got them out of everything, but Amy doubted it could get them out of the center of an army planning to kill them. The Doctor gritted his teeth in anger. How had he been so stupid? How had he gotten so distracted? He should have immediately escorted Amy and the little girl into the TARDIS, into safety. Instead, he had let Kovarian distract him with her knowledge of his feelings. River was the only one that remained calm. She knew what would happen today and had gotten prepared before she headed out of the TARDIS with her guns pointing.

"Doctor," she whispered, the Silence all standing there around them. Amy was sure that if it were within their capabilities, they'd be laughing. "Take this. Take Amy and get in the TARDIS. I'll get the girl. Just get inside and start her up."

The Doctor looked down at what his wife was discreetly handing him from her belt as she continued to look at him with scared eyes. It was a vortex manipulator. It was possible to take multiple people, but this one was a bit outdated. The more people you took with you with the kind of manipulator that the Doctor now had in his possession made it all the more dangerous. Four people was dangerous. Three people was risking it. He nodded quickly, carefully wrapping the contraption around his wrist as Kovarian went on about how the Silence was going to kill them all, talking about all the damage he had done to the Universe, and why his death would be a blessing to everyone, not just the ones fighting the war with him.

"Give me the girl," River ordered, looking at Amy. The redhead hesitated at first, but let go of her daughter's hand, "You're going with the Doctor. I'll bring her back with me." Amy looked over the Doctor, who quickly glanced down at his wrist. She instantly recognized it as one of those things he had been using while they were in the museum at the end of the Universe. Amy nodded before Madame Kovarian called for her attention.

"Well, Amy," the woman sighed, "You told her all these great stories about the Doctor. I'm afraid your daughter's about to find out just how poorly mistaken you are. He's not saving you this time."

Amy moved towards her, but the Doctor held her back, knowing a violent outburst was the last thing they needed right now. He was just about to press the button when she turned to the girl next to her. "We're going to get out of this," she told her, "He's going to get us out of this, like he always does. And then we're going to go home."

Melody smiled, despite their situation, despite the fact that there were monsters closing in around them. _Home. I'm going home_, she thought to herself. Home to little Melody Pond wasn't a military base with only one friend to confide to or an orphanage with a raging lunatic as the only fellow human being. Home had been that picture of Amy holding her baby, the closest thing she had to her parents. They had always been what she wished for. The words sent courage and hope rushing through her, faith in the Doctor filling her little heart. He was going to get her out of this. Mummy had told her so.

"Not this time, Amelia Pond," Madame Kovarian said, "Your Doctor's going to die today. After I make him watch the life slowly leave your eyes. Oh, your death will be a slow and painful one. Just like mine was on that alternate timeline."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Amy smirked, before linking arms with the Doctor's, his fingers pressing quickly onto the vortex manipulator, vanishing into thin air, but not before Amy looked at Melody and smiled, "Don't be scared. I'll see you in a few seconds, alright?"

Madame Kovarian and the Silence looked in shock, looking at the smiling River. "Where did they go?" the woman shrieked, "How did they escape?"

"Vortex manipulators," River smiled, "Oh, and you were so close to getting him, weren't you? Here's a little spoiler for you, Kovarian: you'll never get him."

Madame Kovarian sneered. "We'll see, won't we? You can't take Melody with you," she pointed out, "The TARDIS can't control that anomaly. We've seen him try."

"I don't plan on having the TARDIS take both of us," River replied, quickly, the smile fading. This was it. The TARDIS' brakes were already starting to screech as it was started up. For once, the Doctor was actually listening to her.

"He'll come back for you," Kovarian argued.

"I didn't say I was the one staying behind." River turned to her younger self, who was looking up at the blonde expectantly. Amy had told her they'd only be gone for a few seconds. River looked at the girl with sad eyes. "Melody?"

"Yes?"

"Your parents never wanted to leave you. They searched all over the universe for you. Never forget that. They love you." And with that, River all became a cloud of smoke as she pressed down on the vortex manipulator.

Melody didn't understand until the time machine, the blue box from all her mother's stories, vanished. Without her. She didn't fully understand until Madame Kovarian laid a hand down on the little girl's shoulder. "See, Melody?" she told the girl, getting close to her ear, "This is what he does. He takes what people love most. He doesn't save you and make everything okay. He makes you wait and suffer. Just like he did with your mother. This is why you're the woman who kills him."

Melody didn't respond. She felt nervous at first, wondering when they were coming back. Amy wouldn't leave her, would she? She would never choose the Doctor over her own daughter! But as time went on… Hours, days, weeks, months… All Melody Pond felt for the Doctor was anger and bloodlust. He had taken her mother. He had brainwashed her and made her into his personal assistant to toy with and rip apart. He had ruined Melody's life. And now, she would end his.

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	37. It's Too Late

**Hello, everyone!(: Now... I'm sorry Melody got left behind, but... Well, it was needed. Like I've said before (or atleast I think I have...), I'm not going to rewrite time if it changes the show drastically. And bringing Melody along would have been drastic. So, here's the next chapter! AMY'S REACTION! :O Because you know she's not just going to give up on finding her daughter! Review and get a sneak peek! And...**

**Enjoy!**

The TARDIS was already starting to fade and Amy's heart was racing with adrenaline and excitement. She had escaped. She had escaped from that prison and she was taking Melody with her- as soon as River decided to get a move on with the time vortex manipulator. Immediately upon their arrival, Rory had thrown his arms around his wife, remembering the times he had thought she was really long gone. It felt like he hadn't seen her in ages. Amy hugged him back, laughing at his Centurion outfit that the Doctor had again insisted he wear. Apparently, the man's usual attire was not suitable for going to battle.

The Doctor looked on smiling, but still feeling jealousy creep up within him. He had to remind himself that he had had this moment with Amy already. He already got to hold her close and tell her how much he had missed her. It was Rory's turn. They both loved this woman, had fought and died for her numerous times. To distract himself, the Doctor typed away at his console, pulling the monitor towards him. "Amy," he said, turning back over to the husband and wife, sonic screwdriver in the air, "Hold still. I'm going to give you a medical scan."

Amy froze in Rory's arms, but keeping her eyes locked on his eyes, before whispering excitedly, "Rory, I found her. I found Melody."

"What?" he asked, "What do you mean? She was there?"

"She actually was the one that found _me_," Amy corrected, "But that doesn't matter. We're getting her out of that place. River's going to bring her back here."

Rory frowned in confusion. "But she _is_ Melody. We can't have both of them on here. We tried with you, remember? We had to leave one behind."

The Doctor shot his head up from the buttons of the console, his mind starting to pick up the little things that River and Kovarian had been discussing back at Demon's Run. River had said that the choice was between "the woman I am and the girl I was." It suddenly all clicked together. That little girl was Melody Pond. No wonder Amy had been so protective of her. _No,_ his mind whispered, _She wouldn't do that. River has done some foolish things but she would never be so self-_

"Hello, Sweetie," the woman's voice called from the doorway, all faces turning to look at her, to look at just River. Because Melody wasn't there.

"Where's Melody?" Amy asked, voice laced with worry and edging on panic. She had entrusted River with the little girl. She had told her she would just be a few moments and then they'd all go home. "You were supposed to bring her back with you! _Where is she_?"

River bowed her head, avoiding Amy's question. It was the Doctor that next spoke. "Why did neither of you tell me that was Melody?" Things would have been different. He would have known not to trust River with her. Of course, River would choose her own existence over the little girl's, over what she _could_ be in a happier life. It was exactly what the older Amy tried to do, but the Doctor had stopped it. He would have stopped it this time, too, had he known. That was for sure.

"I- I tried," Amy whispered, eyes and mind lost, "But the alarms… And Kovarian. Introductions just didn't seem- seem important." The woman turned to look at her grown daughter with the same look she had given Madame Kovarian. River Song was now the villainess. "How could you do this, River? _Why_?"

"The TARDIS wouldn't be able to handle-" she rushed to explain, to defend herself, to make herself seem much less of a bad guy.

"Oh, don't give me that!" the Doctor growled, closing the distance between them, his rage spilling forth from his eyes. He had trusted her and River tricked him. "You still could have saved her! You still could have saved yourself!"

"And cease to exist?" River cried, "To have every moment I've spent with you completely wiped from the universe? If I was raised as Melody Pond, you would never have loved and married River Song. If I had let you meet her today- if you had even exchanged a single word with that girl, it would be your last."

"What do you mean?"

"My firsts are your lasts, remember?" River explained, "That would have been the first time I met you. And it would have been your last. You would have never seen me again. Don't you see, Sweetie? I did this for _us_." River _had_ been buying time. For her and the Doctor. Even though she would see him again, she couldn't handle the thought of him never seeing her. She didn't want to think about the sadness that would overwhelm him, or even worse, moving past her. He would, though. He had moved past so many of his other companions, because that was what the Doctor did. He made friends and lost friends, but he kept moving on. She wasn't ready for that.

"Well, you shouldn't have!" the Doctor argued, but slightly understanding where River was coming from. He loved Amy, of course he did. But he couldn't lie and say that the blonde was just a replacement. She was the mysterious River Song, all-knowing and powerful, even more so than the Doctor at times. He was dreading the day at the Singing Towers, where he'd have to tell River the closest thing she'd get to a heartfelt farewell. "It wouldn't have to be like that, being on different timelines. If we had saved Melody, then-"

"Then I would have been nothing more than the child of your two best friends," River finished, knowing very much that would have been the outcome had she been raised properly. The Doctor didn't reply, and River knew he had come to understand her situation. But she knew he hadn't fully accepted it just yet.

"B-But we can go back, can't we?" Amy asked, withdrawing from Rory's arms and stepping closer to River and the Doctor, "We can go back and get her."

"No," the Doctor replied, quietly, choosing to look at a spot on the TARDIS' floors instead of meeting Amy. He didn't want to see the pain in her brown eyes. "It's too late, Amy."

"What do you mean it's too late?" Amy cried, "We're in a bloody _time machine_ for crying out loud!" Rory wasn't sure what to do, how to react. He hadn't gotten to know Melody like Amy had in the past few weeks, but that didn't mean he wasn't heartbroken. Rory was just like Amy. He didn't want to miss out on those big moments, to know his firstborn was off somewhere without him in time and space when she could be so easily rescued.

"I don't know the coordinates to Demon's Run," the Doctor explained, "Finding you took _weeks . _We looked everywhere- asked everyone. No one knew where it was. It was the TARDIS that eventually led us to you."

"Then she can take us again," the redhead pointed out, stubbornly. She wasn't going to give up Melody as easily as the Doctor was, which was driving her crazy. It was almost like he didn't _want_ to save her daughter. Wasn't he the one that said he would keep out of the affairs of others unless there was a child crying? How many tears would little Melody cry?

"Amy-" the Doctor sighed.

"No!" she interrupted, "I told her we'd see each other in a few moments! I know how it feels to wait for someone you love and trust to come back and save you from your life. I can't… I _can't_ just leave her, knowing it was me that's causing her pain. Doctor, River may be right here, but Melody is out there waiting for me." She knew the words would hurt him, remind him of just what he had done to her when she was little, but she didn't care. Amy only wanted Melody back. It was like all that time ago, the first time Rory died. She didn't care what she was doing or saying, even if it meant hurting someone she loved. She just wanted her little girl back.

"Mummy, I end up perfectly fine," River said, rushing to her husband's defense. She could see his lips turn into a frown and maybe even start to shake slightly. She noticed that his eyebrows furrowed deeper as he tried to tell Amy "no," as he tried to tell his best friend that finding her child again was a lost cause. River was seeing all the guilt and pain and frustration that her mother was too angry to see.

"I don't care!" Amy shouted, everyone else in the room flinching at the fuming woman in the hospital gown, "Somewhere out there, my little girl is crying for her mum to come and take her home, just like I promised. _You _may be alright, River, but _I'm _not!" The Doctor and Rory rushed to Amy to comfort her, to tell her that everything would be okay, but she stopped them when they were just centimeters from her, raising her hands away from their grasp and saying in a low voice, "Do not touch me. Do _not _touch me!" And after shooting a glare at everyone in the console rooms as tears welled in her eyes, Amy ran off down the hallway.

Rory chased after his wife a few moments later, but the Doctor stayed planted in the very same spot. He wanted so badly to go and comfort Amy, to tell her that he was sorry, but he couldn't do anything to save Melody. He wanted to hold her and kiss her forehead and come up with some way to make her laugh. But the Doctor knew she wouldn't see him. She was mad at him for giving up, for not at least _trying_. River, too, stayed in the room, unmoving, but she seemed to be saying something. The Doctor could barely focus on her words, though. All he saw was Amy's face of pride and love looking at the little girl. He would have taken better notice of it, but he was just so overwhelmed with the happy reunion of him and his Pond.

"Goodbye, Sweetie," River whispered, leaning into his ear and kissing his cheek. The Doctor felt himself try and smile, but failed. They both knew she could see right through it. "Someday, you'll forgive me. I know you will." And with the press of the button on her vortex manipulator, River Song vanished.

_IN ANOTHER PART OF THE TARDIS_

Rory had searched high and low for Amy, calling her name over and over again as he ran through the hallways of the TARDIS, but his wife was nowhere to be found. After a few minutes, Rory had to stop and take a breath, bent over and hands on his knees, the only sounds being his heavy, ragged breathing- and sobs. Amy's sobs. The man listened closely, following the sound to an open doorway, the library with a pool in it. He remembered that being one of little Amelia's stories during the hot summers when they went swimming. Rory would always have to pretend to be the Doctor and little Amelia would bring out her aunt Sharon's self-help books to make the "library." Of course, they'd always end up getting soaked and Amelia would get scolded by her aunt… Again.

It was things like that that made Rory ever wonder just how deep Amy's feelings had gone for the Doctor. She _had_ kissed him, but the Doctor and her had both said it was kind of an "I'm alive!" thing. And he chose to believe that. "Amy?" he asked, quietly, ducking his head to find his wife curled up in the fetal position on a very comfortable-looking loveseat. She quickly ducked her head and wiped her tears, trying uselessly to hide the fact that she was crying. "Hey," he said, simply, sitting beside her and wrapping his arms around her.

"Hey," Amy replied, leaning her head on his shoulder. She felt like Rory was the only one who knew what was going on. He had lost Melody too. The two sat in silence for a moment, both at a loss of what to say. They had lost her again. And there was no possible way of getting her back again. "She was so beautiful," Amy whispered, "She had your eyes."

"We still got her as Mels," Rory said, "We still got to raise her, remember? We got to be her best friends. And I know it isn't the same. Trust me, I _know_, but I'm just so glad to have you back. I saw the test results before you stormed out. It's really you this time, Amy."

"She was only 8 years old, Rory. They were just starting to turn her into- into-"

"We'll go back home. You'll become the world's biggest supermodel and I'll be the world's most renowned doctor," her husband mused, trying to distract her, "And when we're ready, we'll try again. And we'll have another beautiful baby. River will come over sometimes and they'll play together, and I'm sure the Doctor will visit. Maybe we'll even move to Upper Leadworth, like we planned. We can still have that life together, Amy."

She wanted to say "yes," that she couldn't dream of any other way to live her life, but Amy would have been lying. Because despite what had just happened, Amy still wanted to spend her days on the TARDIS. Though she had "moved on" after the Doctor's "death," she still didn't want her life on Earth. She had never wanted that life in Upper Leadworth. She didn't want to be reminded of how perfect it would all be had they gotten Melody out of there. She didn't want to look at her other children and feel the guilt of knowing that her firstborn never got that. Luckily, Amy didn't even have to answer, because she felt the tremble of the TARDIS, a sign that it was being started.

Amy and Rory looked at each other, exchanging glances, before running towards the console room to find the Doctor madly circling the console, pressing buttons, typing coordinates, and pulling levers. "Doctor, what are you doing?" Amy asked, "Where are we going?"

The Time Lord looked up, surprised, not expecting to see them so soon. He did his best to ignore the puffiness of Amy's eyes and the cute redness of her nose. He paused his motions and came up to Amy, putting both hands on the side of her face. "I can't make any promises," he said, solemnly, looking intensely into her eyes, "But I swear, I'll try my best to find her. You've never given up your hope in me. So, I'm not giving up my hope, either."

Amy smiled, starting to feel the happy tears that she quickly wiped away before the Doctor kissed her forehead. Rory stood off to the side, feeling both happiness and something else. He was happy, obviously, because they might just find his daughter, but Rory wasn't surprised when he identified a hint of sadness, because that meant they weren't leaving the TARDIS anytime soon. And the man was all too sure his wife would soon get sucked back into this life and forget what they had waiting for them on Earth. It wouldn't be the first time.

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	38. Don't Leave Me Alone

**What up, readers?(: Here comes the next chapter! After a month of looking for Melody, some decisions are going to have to be made.**

It had been a month that the three had been looking for Melody, but there was still no trace of Demon's Run, nothing different from their search for Amy. Every time they hit a dead end, the Doctor would have to tell her, guilt and pity flooding in his every word and movement, but Amy wouldn't cry. No, she would just nod once and say "Well, back to square one then, yeah?" and on they would go. It was Rory that brought up the question that they'd all been wondering in the back of their heads. It happened on a day that was like most had been after Amy's return. The TARDIS had paperwork and files everywhere, the Doctor pouring over them intently, trying to guess a location while Amy handed him a cup of tea, sipping on her own as she peeked over his shoulder. The Doctor took his tweed jacket off, handing it to Amy, who tucked it into her arms, eyes still peering over at the documents.

"How long are we going to do this?" Rory asked, suddenly, who was perched on a seat nearby, "How long are we going to look for her until we realize we're never going to find her?"

"Don't talk like that," Amy smiled, supportively, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she made her way over to her husband, the jacket still in her arms.

"I think it's a fair question, Amy," Rory said, "What if we never find Melody?"

"Rory-" she sighed, wishing he would just drop it. She didn't want to think about what would happen if they didn't find her little girl. The pain of knowing that she was somewhere out there, probably growing hard with hatred for her promise-breaking mother, made the redhead even more anxious to find her, her heart becoming twice as heavy.

"Can you just answer the question?" he asked, more frustrated. He wasn't just talking about Melody anymore and they both knew it. He wanted to know if they were ever going back. He wanted to know if they were going to put their life on Earth on hold. Again.

Amy didn't reply for a second and the Doctor looked up from his work, watching the couple carefully. He didn't get the deeper meaning to the question just yet, but he knew there was more going on than what was being said. Finally, the redhead opened her mouth to speak. "I don't know." She knew that Rory would find the answer insufficient, that he would probably ask for her to elaborate, but Amy honestly didn't know what was going to happen if they didn't find their daughter, if they were going back to Earth or stay travelling with the Doctor for a little while longer in the TARDIS.

"You don't know?" After Amy didn't do anything but continue to stare wordlessly, Rory swallowed and nodded. "Alright, well, it's about time we stopped this. We've looked everywhere. It's been a month."

"Rory, we can still find her," the Doctor interjected, "There must be _someone_ in this universe that knows where she's at."

Rory stood up and stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking down at the floor, then up meaningfully, at Amy. "I think it's time we call it quits. I think we should just go home."

The Doctor and Amy looked at each other, then back at Rory. Neither one were ready for her to leave, but they would hardly tell anyone _why. _The Doctor had yet to tell anyone of his feelings for Amy, despite the constant urging and reminding from the TARDIS about the promise he had made. Amy had been mad at him for a while and then there was the big search for Melody Pond. Telling her how he felt during that time just didn't seem right to him. Amy hadn't told anyone of her feelings either, though that wasn't the main reason she was still there. She really did think that they could find Melody if they tried hard enough. Besides, a month wasn't a long amount of time in Amy's book. "I think we should stay here," Amy argued, hoping she could reel him in and convince him to stay, just like she had before. Rory always followed what she said. "Just a little while longer, until we find Melody."

But Rory was putting his foot down. "We're not going to find her, Amy!" he cried, frustrated, then taking a hold of Amy's shoulders, keeping her gaze locked with his, "I told you we could still have that life, remember? We can go back to Earth and make more babies, become successful, settle down! We can still have that!"

"What if I don't want that?" Amy asked, loudly, not even thinking. The moment it had come out, she wished to take it back, seeing the hurt cross Rory's face. She rushed to explain, turning the volume down, "I don't want to replace Melody with more kids, and maybe I don't want to be a model anymore. The schedule was exhausting and I honestly don't see much point in posing for pretty pictures, Rory. At least up here, I'm making a difference."

"Don't you still want that quiet life in Upper Leadworth?" Amy didn't reply. Had he ever listened to her before? On those drives up, she would always complain about the picture he was painting of their future there, saying that maybe she'd think about it when she was 80 years old. In the dream, she had told him that she didn't even like the village in the first place, that it was boring and dull and the reason she got pregnant was to miss the drama society's horrible rendition of "Oklahoma." But Rory didn't listen. He was still so convinced that that was the place for them.

After a few minutes of heavy silence, Rory asked the next question, one he always found himself wondering in the early days, before they had gotten married, and maybe even a few times after that. "Do you still want me?"

"Of course I do," she answered, quickly, setting her mug down on a nearby surface. She loved Rory. Of course, she still wanted him… Just not in the way she wanted the Doctor. Amy wanted the Doctor's love, the look he gave her when she did something unexpectedly brilliant. She wanted to be wrapped up in his warmth every day, to wake up every morning in the time machine to the alien with floppy hair and help him pick out what bow tie to wear for the day, just to have him throw it over his shoulder and debate between two others. With Rory, it was more of a comforting friendship that Amy felt she needed from him. She didn't want him to go away because she'd be losing one of her best friends. He had been there when no one else was, had played along with her silly games while everyone else called her crazy. Amy loved Rory, but it wasn't the same way she loved the Doctor.

"Then come with me," he pleaded, trying a gentler approach.

"Can't we just stay here?" Amy asked, wondering why he hadn't crumbled yet. Before, it didn't really take much to get her husband to agree with her.

Rory's gentle look hardened. He wasn't going to stay there, not again. He wasn't going to let Amy's cute pout or dominating personality take him over. He had given up enough time for the Doctor and he was done. "No," Rory replied, determined, "I have a life down there. _We _ have a life down there. My exams were only a few weeks off when you got taken away, and you have a big advertising shoot coming up. Amy, we can still be happy down there. We can live the life we've always dreamed of when we were kids."

"_This _is the life I dreamed of when I was a kid, Rory," Amy pointed out, motioning to the TARDIS.

"Yeah, well, we have to grow up, eventually," he muttered, repeating words he had once said before.

"I don't want to!" They were the words that Amy had always been too afraid to tell anyone, except for Mels who had told her to get over it and grow up anyways. She didn't want to grow up and let go of little Amelia Pond, the girl who dreamed of stars and a raggedy man travelling in a time machine.

"I'm not doing this anymore. I can't handle the danger he puts us in! I've lived over 2,000 years, died more than anyone I know. I _can't_ do this anymore," Rory said, resorting to his last option, the thing he really didn't want to do. He was giving her an ultimatum. "So, choose now, Amy. Leave with me or stay here with him. I'm going home either way." Rory didn't know what he would do if she didn't pick him. She would pick him though, right? They were married, had a kid together, had known each other since they were 7 years old. She was his best friend. _Of course _she'd pick him.

The Doctor looked on, feelings mixed up. He wasn't ready for Amy to leave. He never would. The Doctor's mind and hearts were at war with one another. He had told himself that they wouldn't be another Rose and Mickey, that he wouldn't break them apart. That had been established since Day One. Still, though, this wasn't the same circumstances. His love for Amy was something different, entirely. It had taken him so long to get over Rose's departure. He wouldn't be surprised if he _never_ got over Amy. Then, of course, there was the fact that what Rory was saying was true. Life aboard the TARDIS wasn't safe.

Amy opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She turned to look at the Doctor, who only replied with sad eyes that looked down as soon as hers met his. Part of her hoped that he would fight for her to stay like Rory was. Amy knew, emotionally, what she wanted, but there was a part of her that was trying to use logic. What if the Doctor didn't want her hanging around the TARDIS forever, like she had always planned? She couldn't guarantee that he reciprocated her feelings, and she knew there was a life with Rory down on Earth, where she'd always be loved and cherished. Should she really take such a risk? Again, Amy was reminded of the Dream Lord.

"_Now, which one of these men would you really choose? You ran away with a handsome hero. __Would you really give him up for a bumbling country doctor who thinks the only thing he needs to be interesting is a ponytail?__But maybe it's better than loving and losing the Doctor_..."

The Doctor watched Amy debate between the two men, the two lives, and he was instantly reminded of his tenth regeneration, his duplicate, and Rose on Bad Wolf Bay. The Duplicate, John Smith, was obviously the better choice, letting her have the life she had always wanted. She had always been so "domestic" as the Doctor had described her once. He knew he had to let her go, to let her be happy and safe. It was the same with Rory and Amy, except for the fact that this was ten times harder not to take Amy for himself. The Doctor remembered what Rose had wanted him to say to her, what he had let John Smith say instead, the words that made her latch onto the other man and choose him. They were the same three words he had been trying to say to Amy for so long. _Please don't leave me, Pond, _the Doctor mentally begged, using all his might to keep it contained in his head and keep it from running out of his mouth, _You're more than just another companion. You're more than just my best mate. You're so much more than just the Girl Who Waited. Please. Don't leave me alone. I love you._

While the Doctor cursed himself again and again for not having the courage to say it out loud, Amy continued to look at her husband, her back to the Time Lord. Suddenly, she felt warmth against her arm that quickly grew into a painful burning. The redhead looked down and realized that it was something inside the Doctor's jacket that she was still holding. She felt around quickly, then found the source in the right inside pocket. It was the psychic paper. Confused, Amy flipped it over. She remembered when they had been travelling once and it had burned the Doctor due to an unintentional, very strong message from a little boy by the name of George who needed to be saved from the "monsters." Reading the message on the white piece of paper, Amy knew exactly who it was from and her heart skipped a few beats, her breathing stopping. She knew who to choose.

"Rory, I love you…"

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	39. Penny In The Air

**Hey, guys! Back for another chapter :D Remember that cliff-hanger? Aww, yeah. Good times! Anyways! It's midnight and I'm feeling super talkative, so feel free to just briefly skim this a/n and get to the story if you'd like. Just remember that if you send in a review, I will give you a sneak peek in return(: Because I'm caring like that. Okay. That's it. ENJOY, MIS AMIGOS!**

_"Rory, I love you," Amy breathed, "But I just- I don't think I'm ready to grow up yet. I still want to see the universe and visit alien planets and save the day. I'm staying here. On the TARDIS."_

For a split second, Rory had thought that his wife was kidding, but her beautiful face seemed to say something much different. Of course, then he repeated his threat a few more times, reminding her that he was to be taken seriously, that Rory Williams meant business and was not staying for another dangerous adventure in the blue box. Still, Amy refused to leave, saying it was where she belonged at the moment. That was the moment that Rory's heart broke. Because if anyone had ever asked, he would have always replied that the only place he ever wanted to be was by his wife's side.

It was when the man made his way to the door, luggage in hand, that he turned to his wife and best friend standing next to one another with sad expressions, but not doing a thing, that the pleas began once again. Rory was surprised by the lack of anger he felt. He felt it, but it wasn't even directed at those two. It was all towards himself. Rory just felt incredibly foolish. Maybe the old him would have been jealous, glaring at the Doctor, wondering just how much pleasure he was getting from all this, from getting to be alone once more with "his" Amelia Pond. The idea of it sounded a bit ridiculous, though. The Time Lord had batted Amy off before and was happily married to River. He had left Amy time and time again, no matter how high the pedestal she put her Raggedy Man on. In Rory's eyes, the Doctor didn't have those feelings for Amy.

"Rory," his wife murmured, taking a hold of his arm as he made his way to the door, everything else in the TARDIS completely silent, not moving. He had never seen the Doctor so still before.

"So, what does this make us?" Rory asked, removing his arm from Amy's grasp and trying hard not to let his eyes brim with the tears he knew was coming, "Should I get the divorce papers and wait for you to come back and sign them, then?"

Amy didn't know how to answer that. She still knew so little about the effects of her choice, what the Doctor would say about it all, yet she hated the idea of using Rory as a back-up plan. The redhead knew where her heart belonged and it was in a blue police telephone box, in the arms of a man with two hearts, magic green eyes, and an innocent smile.

Rory bowed his head, shoving a hand into his jean pockets. "I waited 2,000 years for you," he stated, "I never left your side."

"I know." Oh, of course Amy knew. Rory had always done so much for her. Neither a "sorry" nor "thank you" seemed to cover just what he had done for Amy Pond.

"You're the most important thing in the universe to me," he whispered, glancing up and staring earnestly into her eyes. Rory knew he was too nice, too in love to break things off with the girl of his dreams. Despite the fact that she didn't seem to have that difficult of a time leaving him. Since the day they had met, when Amelia had valiantly protected little Rory Williams from the schoolyard bullies, he had known he'd spend every possible second with that Scottish redhead. "You always will be."

"Rory-"

"I'll wait for you to be ready for this," he interrupted, getting to his point, then quirked a smile, though there wasn't really anything funny about this moment at all. "Just make sure you get here in time."

Amy wrapped her arms around Rory's neck, squeezing tightly. She felt his hands move to her back, reciprocating the same tight embrace. A part of Amy knew that she would never be the wife that Rory needed and that one day, he'd realize this. Both wondered if this was the last time they would see one another. Rory knew just how dangerous life was on the TARDIS. He'd had enough deaths to know just how careful you had to be to survive it all. Amy, too, wondered if she'd ever come back and visit. Saying goodbye like this was more than enough pain already. The redhead nuzzled her head into his neck, feeling a little bit of his stubble rub against her smooth cheek. "I love you, got it?" she said, voice slightly muffled, then lifted her head, hands on both sides of his face, "And you are much too good for me."

"I could say the same," he smiled, kissing her one last time, then turning to the Doctor, "Oi, I have a few words for you."

At first, the Time Lord assumed it'd be a threat of some sort. Rory had always been a bit jealous, but it seemed to be dying down as time went on. "Rory, I'm sorry," the Doctor apologized, "I did-"

"You didn't make her stay here," he pointed out. There was only one thing he wanted to say to the Doctor. Ever since that day she had protected him from the bullies when they were 7, he had vowed to make sure she was protected as well. It was why he played along with her Raggedy Doctor games. It was why he always gave her an encouraging smile and offered to share a plate of fish fingers and custard after a fight with her aunt, or a bad therapy session, or after a kid had teased her for her accent, her hair color, or her imaginary friend. "You know she's in more danger with you than me."

"Of course she is," the Doctor replied. He had told them both since Day One that he was a dangerous man with dangerous enemies, who went to dangerous places and did dangerous things. Of course he knew just how much trouble Amy was putting herself in when she chose to stay with him. It was the selfish part of the Time Lord that didn't argue with her, the lonely part that didn't push her away and persuade her to leave. It was the smart part that knew he wouldn't survive without her.

"Remember what I told you? How you always make people a danger to themselves because they're trying so hard to impress you?"

"Yeah." It was a long time ago, when they were in Venice in 1580 and Amy was lost somewhere in the Calvierri School, when the Doctor and Rory had found a completely dehydrated corpse in a box in the dark of a creepy castle. It was early on in their relationship, when Rory still hated him for taking Amy away the night before their wedding, not caring if it was unknowingly, and having kissed her, even if it was _her_ that had initiated it. It was when Rory feared for his fiancée's life, wondering if she were to meet the same fate as the body before them.

"Promise me you'll take care of her," Rory said, "Make sure she doesn't do anything too stupid. Bring her back to me safely."

The Doctor didn't want to wonder if this was a promise he could keep. It was a promise he _would_ keep. Even if it meant his own death, one that didn't involve being hidden inside a giant, judgmental robot, or another reincarnation, he would protect Amy Pond. At all costs. The Doctor met Rory's eyes, green to green, with strong determination. "I promise."

And so, with a manly hug goodbye and a few pats on the back, Rory said goodbye to the Doctor, eyes lingering over Amy, who refused to look up from the floor, as he made his way to the door. Every second, Rory Williams willed her to look up and change her mind, to run into her room and grab her bags and leave with him, or at least just to see her beautiful, brown eyes that he had spent so many nights staring into. But she didn't. Amy was never good at farewells. Rory suspected it had something to do with the Doctor, as did everything else, it seems.

"I'll see you two," Rory smiled, but as he turned to the open door, it all vanished. No one said another word, and the Last Centurion closed the door behind him. He kept walking, instantly recognizing the house as the one the Doctor had gotten them, making his way across the street to his blue door, not turning around until he heard the familiar grating noise of the TARDIS leaving. A part of him had hoped that Amy would bust out the door, bound across the street, and run into his arms. But as he turned to look, the box began to fade, the light at the top fading in and out, growing fainter and fainter until it was just completely gone. Tears began to fall down his face and loud sobs wracked his body as the man fell to his knees on his doorstep. Amy Pond was his universe. Who was he now that she was gone? Now that she had left him?

**_ON THE TARDIS_**

The Doctor switched the TARDIS onto auto-pilot, leaving it drifting safely around in space until he gave it further direction on where to go. It was silent in the console room and Amy sat on a nearby chair. Neither were sure where to start. Both had so many questions, so many things to say that it was hard to decide the order of it all. They hadn't been travelling without Rory since he ceased to exist after getting taken by a crack in the universe. It all seemed weird without the big-nosed man. Amy stared off into space, guilt still consuming her heart, but she knew this was the right decision.

"Why?" the Doctor asked, his voice quiet yet sounding so loud, "Why didn't you go with him?"

"Someone has to keep you from talking your own ear off," she replied, a smirk playing at her lips.

The Doctor smiled to himself. The night he had taken her away, he had told her the main reason he took her was because he was lonely, that he was getting a bit of an ear ache by talking to himself too much, which wasn't exactly false. "Funny, Pond" he commented, "But, really. You had a life waiting for you down there. Wonderful job, wonderful husband, wonderful house. It's still waiting for you if you change your mind."

"Do you want me to change my mind?" she asked, tilting her head to look at the Doctor. Her tone wasn't at all sad. It seemed genuinely interested.

The Doctor thought about lying to her, about going off into an important lecture about how time-travelling dazzles people and blinds them from what they really want, from their old life before it. He had said something of the likes to Rory and Amy when he had first brought the man aboard, saying how sad it was that it all just ripped relationships apart. He thought about reminding her that eventually she was going to grow up and would want to leave someday. But the selfish part of him took over and told the truth. "No."

"I know," Amy smiled, "That's why I chose to stay with you."

The Doctor didn't seem to understand. "What do you mean?"

"Remember when that little boy sent you a message to save him from the monsters?" she asked, changing the subject and asking a question she already knew the answer to, "How did he even reach you?"

"The psychic paper," he answered, still eyeing her suspiciously, "He sent out a telepathic wave length strong enough to reach past _galaxies_ to me. And his message was transmitted onto the paper. Why? Where are you going with this?"

Amy stood up and walked slowly over to the Doctor, smiling like an inspector about to trap a suspect into confessing a crime. Which is exactly what she was doing. "Right. Didn't it burn you?"

"Yeah, bu- Amy, you can't just keep changing the subject!" he argued as the redhead leaned against the console next to him.

"How did that telepathic-y thing work out anyways? He just had to think it?"

"No, you have to concentrate on it, think very hard about it," the Doctor sighed, tone getting more and more frustrated, "You know, I'm not going to stop asking until I get som-"

Amy rolled her eyes. "Will you shut up?" she groaned, "I was going somewhere with that, Stupid!" With that, Amy flicked her hand up from her pocket and into the Doctor's face, a white piece of paper between her fingers. The Doctor snatched it, grumpily, receiving a quiet laugh from his companion. Amy watched as his eyes seemed to pop out of his skull, instantly recognizing the familiar words.

_ Please don't leave me, Pond_. _You're more than just another companion. You're more than just my best mate. You're so much more than just the Girl Who Waited. Please. Don't leave me alone. I love you._

"Wha-?" he murmured, partially sounding like a whimper. This was _not_ how he meant to tell her. "But…"

"Read it and weep, Mister," Amy said in a teasing voice, nudging him with her elbow, then whispering conspiratorially, "The cat's out of the bag."

**Oh lawrdie. It just got real in here. What is the Doctor going to do? Resist like he usually does and deny everything? Or finally give in and show his true feelings? Who knows? Well... Other than me, of course! Until next time!**

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	40. And The Penny Drops

**Hi, guys! Sorry for not posting in awhile! This chapter was really hard to write. I mean, there was just a lot that I had planned and then there was stuff that I had completely forgotten about. Like River, for example. :P I seriously wrote this chapter like... 6 times, all different in their own way. But I'm pretty content with this version, so... Here it is! Remember! Review=Sneak Peek! Ooh, speaking of which! I meant to make a big huge deal out of getting over 100 reviews... When we reached 100 reviews. And we did that a couple chapters ago... SO HERE'S A BELATED THANK YOU! HOPEFULLY WRITING IT IN ALL CAPS WILL MAKE IT SEEM ALL BIG AND SPECIAL!**

**Alrighty. I'm outta here, y'all! Enjoy!**

"Amy, I-" the Doctor rushed to explain, but stopped short. How _would _explain? The message on the psychic paper was pretty clear, ruling out any other option of it being someone other than him. He didn't like how this was going. He hadn't planned on having no control on the situation. This was not how the Doctor had pictured it.

"So, you must have been thinking about it _pretty _hard, yeah?" Amy persisted, eyebrows raised.

"Uh, well, yes," he said nervously, swallowing hard, "Though I'm sure the TARDIS amplified it some." The Doctor turned to glare at his console, sending a message through his head that he knew the TARDIS would get, what with all her telepathic ways. _Thanks, dear_, he thought sarcastically, _You know I didn't need your help._ He could sense his ship tisking, pointing out that it was quite obvious that he would have just let Amy slip from his hands.

Even Amy had come to that realization. "Well, it's a good thing she did!" she said with narrowed eyes, her tone becoming a bit hurt, "What if she hadn't? Were you going to just say goodbye and let me leave?"

"Well, it's a bit more complicated than it seems," he sighed, not exactly answering the question because he knew it was the question Amy didn't want to hear. He was seriously going to let her leave with Rory and not say a single word. "I had my reasons. Believe me, I did."

"Really?" Amy asked, crossing her arms and looking at the Time Lord critically, "And what would those be, Doctor? Don't tell me my new home has too many doors, too." Of course she would bring up his last excuse that he'd used when the Doctor had almost admitted his feelings.

"Rory's right. You'll never truly be safe here," he answered, all too serious, "I told you before that I can't save you from everything. I meant it. I've lost many friends of mine before and they had thought the same. There might be a time when I can't save you." Older Rory's information loomed over the Doctor's head, reminding him that that may indeed happen if he weren't careful. The rescue mission at Demon's Run could have been a completely different event from what the man had been talking about.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she sighed with a roll of her eyes, biting back an argument that she wasn't as big of a damsel-in-distress as the Doctor was making Amy seem. Until, of course, she remembered all the times she had done something and gotten herself in more trouble than the redhead would have been in had she not wandered off. "Arch enemies, hostile alien planets, mad dashes… I've been dealing with that for the past two years, Doctor. I can handle it."

"But those aren't the only things that come along with this life, Pond," he frowned. Before this got any further, before feelings were confessed outright and things became jumbled, before they reached the point of no return, the Doctor needed to know that Amy knew what she was going to give up. "You're not going to have that 'settled' life you could have with Rory here. You'll be getting rid of friends and family and any chance at normalcy in your life."

"I don't want that life. I'm not the marrying type, remember?" Amy pointed out, then shrugged, "The first one was Rory's idea. The whole Leadworth thing was his dream, not mine."

"And what about children?"

Amy was a bit conflicted on that part. The dreams she'd had when she was a little girl had never included children, mainly because of the point the Doctor was trying to make at that very moment. Kids just didn't fit into the equation on the TARDIS. If Amy had gotten Melody back, she believed that, yes, she would have settled down on Earth with her Rory and her daughter, just to give Melody the happy and safe life she had almost missed out on.

There was a part of Amy that liked the idea of having more kids, that remembered what it was like to hold her child in her arms, to feel that strange connection between mother and child, a bond that couldn't be shared with anyone else. But it was overshadowed by the other part of Amy, the part that remembered what it was like to have her child ripped from her arms and put into the hands of an evil woman raising her to be a psychopath. Amy didn't ever want to feel the emptiness and pain she had felt in the moments she had realized that she lost her daughter. She didn't want to replace Melody with a new child. All Amy wanted was Melody.

Since she was never really good with feelings though, Amy didn't mention any of that. She just quirked up a corner of her lips, gaze dropping just below the Doctor's waist and then flickering back up to his questioning, green eyes. "What?" the redhead teased, "Insufficient parts?"

"Wha- I- No!" the Doctor stammered, nervously, cheeks beginning to burn bright red, "My parts are perfectly _sufficient_, thank you! But that is not the point!"

"Look, Doctor," she said after she handled her giggles, "I want this. I want to be on the TARDIS. With you. It's what I've always wanted. I just… I stopped believing I could actually keep it." Amy turned her body to face his, both hands grabbing onto either sides of his head. "Now, will you stop trying to convince me to change my mind?"

The Doctor let out a shaky breath, feeling every bit of resistance crumble as the proximity between him and his companion became almost non-existent. She had chosen him. His Amy was there to stay. "Brilliant idea, Pond." Meanwhile, the two parts of his head were at war. _This can't work, remember? She's human!... She's Amy. Amy from Leadworth, the girl who waited. The girl who chose me… Do you know how pathetic you sound right now? Stop thinking so selfishly and start thinking straight. Wake up, Doctor!... I think she wants me to kiss her. She keeps looking at my lips. I want to kiss her. I think I'm going to do it… What? Are you crazy?... I'm going to do it!... Doctor, wait! Don-… Geronimo! _And before the smart part of the argument could convince him otherwise, the Doctor pulled Amy's lips to his, kissing her for the first time since the night in her bedroom, the night before her wedding.

The kiss was different from the first, slow and soft and sweet. At first, Amy's eyes widened, surprised that the Doctor had actually just initiated it, but responded enthusiastically, eyes fluttering closed. The Doctor's arms wrapped around her waist, feeling the crazy beating of the three hearts, smelling TARDIS oil and his cologne mix with the Amy's sweet pea and lavender. Out of all the moments he'd lived, going back and forth through time and space, this was by far the most perfect.

Then, Amy began trying to speed things up and take control, but the Doctor didn't change his pace, smiling against her lips. It was so much like how their relationship had always been, two strong personalities always fighting to be leader, to have the upper hand. It was what had always made their relationship so wonderfully combustible. His hands flew to Amy's as she attempted to start unbuttoning his shirt, stopping her from moving any further. "We're in a time machine," the Doctor murmured into her ear, deciding it was best to break off the kiss before one of them died of asphyxiation, "We have all the time in the universe."

"Oh my God," Amy gasped, breathless. Her mind was all over the place, trying to make sense of what was going on. The Doctor had kissed her. _He_ had just properly snogged_ her_. The Doctor, her imaginary friend, her Raggedy Doctor, her… Son-in-law. And that jolted Amy back to reality. How had she forgotten that he was married? To her daughter, of all people? Could she be any worse of a mother? And then, of course, there was Rory, who had been gone less than an hour, promising to wait for Amy to be ready. Her eyes widened and she managed to take a small step away from the Doctor, away from his arms.

He looked at Amy, confused at the sudden distance she was trying to put between them. Her heart dropped a little at the flash of hurt and worry. Why did he have to be so kind? Why did he have to make her want to close the distance once again? "What is it?" the Doctor asked, "What's wrong? Did I- Did I do something wrong?"

"What? No!" Amy cried, rushing to reassure him, her words coming out all too fast, "That was… That was just _amazing_. Not that that's surprising or anything. I mean, you're 908 years old! I'd be stupid if I thought you'd be at all inexperienced. Not that I did! I just-"

"Amy?" the Doctor interrupted.

"Yeah?"

"You're rambling again." He wrapped his arms back around her, taking Amy's chin in one hand and tilting her head up to look into his eyes. They were best friends. Of course, he'd know that there was something more than his companion was saying. The Doctor smiled, his eyes still a little worried, but also slightly amused. "Come out with it, Pond. What are you thinking?"

Amy sighed, resting her head on his chest. "I just snogged my son-in-law."

Understanding flashed in the Doctor's green irises, nodding. He had completely forgotten about River, too. Of course, he had always thought about the obstacles that lay in the way of him being with Amy. But in that very moment, with her lips on his and her fingers lacing themselves in his hair, the Time Lord's mind had gone completely blank. All he had been thinking about was the beautiful redhead trying to take his clothes off. "If it helps," the Doctor offered, trying to ease the guilt he knew Amy was feeling, "The validity of it is really very questionable. It _was_ on an alternate timeline that never happened."

"Doesn't matter," she mumbled into his shirt, "She still loves you. And you love her, don't you?"

"Yeah," he admitted, "But not like with you." The main attraction to River had started out with just the mystery of her, but then the Doctor had gotten to know her. Still, the best qualities he saw in River were all qualities that he saw in her mother.

Amy nodded, knowing completely how he felt. It was the same way with Rory. She loved him. It was just nothing compared to _this_. "What's wrong with me?" she sighed, lifting her face back to the Doctor with a frown on her face, "Any normal person wouldn't be doing this right now." Any normal person would have left the dangers and gone to live life with their loving human spouse. Any normal mother would never have even _thought_ about her daughter's husband like this, let alone actually living out the fantasy.

"Yeah, well you've never been one for 'normal,' have you?" the Doctor chuckled. Amy didn't change her sad look, so he mirrored her teasingly, kissing the tip of her nose. "Amy, that's one of the best parts about you. One of the many reasons I love you so much."

The redhead felt her lips turn up into a small smile. "_One_ of the reasons?"

"Reason number three," the Doctor stated, playfully, "Always keeps me on my toes."

"Should I get a pen and write these all down?" Amy asked.

"Another brilliant idea!" he grinned, "I_ may _just keep you around, Pond."

Amy's smile spread, even reaching her eyes. Only the Doctor could make her feel better in a matter of seconds. And as they held each other in the console room, the only sounds being the hum of the TARDIS and the Doctor's lips as he kissed her forehead, both knew that this wasn't completely figured out, that just because Rory left and River wasn't there, didn't mean they no longer existed as a problem. But there seemed to be a wordless agreement as the Doctor took Amy's hand and led her to the kitchen for a cup of tea, changing the subject back to their search for Melody. Amy stared wordlessly at the man before her, carefully pouring the hot liquid into her cup, smiling faintly as she noticed that he knew exactly the amount of honey and lemon she liked. She stared at his mouth, moving so quick as he went on and on about the Silence and all of the possible locations Melody could possibly be, his brown fringe bobbing as his head shook with emphasis on some of his words. This was the man she had chosen, and though she loved Rory and felt so guilty for leaving him after all he'd done for her, Amy knew that this was the right choice.

"Doctor?" Amy said, suddenly, interrupting whatever tangent he talked himself into. He stopped, dropping a green tea bag into her mug and a chamomile into his. There was something she hadn't said yet, at least not that she knew of. "I love you."

The Doctor set the kettle of hot water down, smiling, and handed Amy her mug. "Love you too, Pond." And with that, the Time Lord pulled his companion's face back to his, kissing her softly before pulling away to take a sip of his own tea. Amy sat back against the counter, stirring. Yes, this was definitely where she belonged.

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	41. Reliving Past Glories

**Hello! Love the "smoochie-smoochie time" from the last chapter?(; I hope so... BECAUSE IT TOOK ME FOREVER TO WRITE THAT CHAPTER! ****I'm posting a bit earlier than I planned. Mainly because irishgirl686 is sitting all bored and lonesome at her job and told me to(; Remember about the "review=sneak peek" thing and... Oh! This story is ending very soon! I think I only have a couple chapters left... But don't worry! There will be a sequel! :D**

**It may have a lot of dialogue (sorry), but as I've said before when I make chapters that are mostly just talking: it's necessary. This was an idea of mine because it happened in the show and I just wanted to tie up loose ends, y'know? You won't get what I'm talking about until you read it. So, feel free to stop reading this awful A/N. It's ending now anyways ^_^ ENJOY!**

**Oh, wait. PS: I don't own Doctor Who or any of the wonderful characters. But I AM adding it to next year's Christmas list!**

The only sound to be heard was the hum of the TARDIS, the soft giggles and smacking of lips as the Doctor and Amy kissed for the umpteenth time that day. It had been about two or three weeks since Rory left, since the two best friends finally confessed their feelings for one another. The weeks had been plagued by dead ends and quick get-aways from members of the Silence, but there were also stolen kisses, little romantic moments tucked in between it all. They didn't have a solution, didn't know whether they wanted to tell River and Rory about this. They were both afraid of the reactions, the anger. All four were good friends, and although the Doctor wasn't a Pond, he was a huge part of the family.

There were times when Amy would be down on herself, reminded of just how bad her choices were hurting her family, her daughter and husband, and hated the part that wasn't caring. On those days, the Doctor would sit next to her, hug her close, and offer to take her home, to end whatever was going on between them. But she always said no, saying she was where she belonged and the Time Lord's eyes would soften and keep his arms wrapped comfortingly around his companion. Then, there were days like this one, where everything was fine and dandy and completely happy. The Doctor had Amy pushed up against the console, hands supporting her back, while her own perfectly manicured hands ran through his big head of hair. They broke apart, both breathing heavy and lips slightly more pink than usual. The Doctor gave Amy time to breathe, making a trail of kisses down her neck to her collarbone. They had never gone any farther than this, maybe because of the other days, knowing just how bad it'd be if they went any further, past the point of no return. Still, Amy was human and had her urges, and those skirts weren't helping the Doctor any.

Just as the man was bringing his mouth back to hers, eyes glancing quickly at the beautiful way her hair fell, feeling the warmth of her breath on his lips, the phone rang. They paused, both debating whether or not it was really worth it. The Doctor dropped his head, sighing as he grabbed the phone. Amy lay completely still. It could be something on Melody for all they knew. "Yes, hello?" the Doctor said into the phone, pausing as the person on the other end spoke. Amy watched his face intently, trying to read what was happening in the conversation in his facial expressions. "This is the Doctor. Who, may I ask, is calling?"

Amy watched the Doctor's face, seeing something flicker in his eyes as they met hers, but he quickly hid it. Who was it? What was he hiding? "She is." The redhead strained to hear the voice on the other side of the line, having a feeling that they were talking about _her_. The Doctor tried not to meet her eyes as he spoke. His tone was happy but his face said otherwise. Amy knew that face. Her Doctor was worried. "Of course!" he replied to a suggestion or question that she could not hear, "Right, right… No, I understand. Perfectly. Honestly, it's a bit mad that you're even _asking_ me… Yeah, I know… Fine, but I need to talk to you about our last meeting… Yes, yes. Alright… Okay… Goodbye."

"Who was that?" Amy asked, instantly, as the Doctor moved from her arms to hang up the phone and going to the console, typing in coordinates in the typewriter.

"It's a surprise," the Doctor smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. Yes, she could tell that something was up. But what could it possibly be?

"Well, then," she persisted, trying from a different approach, "Can you tell me _where_ we're going?"

"Cwmtaff, Wales," he said, looking back at Amy for a flash of recognition, which he didn't find. Of course, it wasn't one of the most exciting places they'd been, but the Doctor remembered this adventure very well. "The small village with the big mining thing, remember?" Yes, it was when the Doctor had watched Amy Pond's fingers slip through his, her body body being pulled into the ground. It was the day the Doctor had realized that maybe he had more than just friendly feelings towards his Scottish companion.

Amy's mouth opened to make an "O," lighting up with the memory. She remembered that moment for when Rory had been sucked through the crack in time. "What year?" She wondered if they were going to re-negotiate peace between the two races- Silurians and Humans- once more, just like he had promised. Amy didn't remember being half bad at it.

"2020."

Nope. Scratch that. Why else would they be going back to the same place at the same time? She didn't quite understand it, seeing as the Doctor hated repeats. "Why?"

The Time Lord smiled, wistfully, shifting the TARDIS into gear, "To relive past glories."

**_CWMTAFF, SOUTH WALES… 2020 AD_**

As Amy burst out of the TARDIS doors, the Doctor trailing behind her, she couldn't help but wonder how on Earth she hadn't frozen to death while she was dressed for Rio. This time, though, she was more prepared and knowing of the weather conditions. She wore a white shirt with a red jacket over it, and replaced the mini skirt with tight jeans. But as soon as she looked up, it wasn't the weather Amy was thinking about, nor the familiarity of the scene, nor the view of the big mining thing from the distance. It was the man standing before her. It was Rory Williams.

"Amy!" It was Rory Williams with a giant grin on his face, his eyes lighting up like he was seeing a ghost, like it was Christmas morning. He rushed into her arms and she hugged him back, tightly, feeling so happy to see her best friend again, but also feeling guilty. This was the first time Amy had seen him since he left over a month before. Though, it was clear this Rory was different than that one. His hair was… Well, it was back in the ponytail, and the way he carried himself… It showed more age than he usually did. This was an older Rory. But what on Earth was he doing here? What was _she_ doing here? "Amy, I've missed you so much," he said into her jacket, voice muffled, "You have no idea."

Amy wondered if this was their first visit with Rory after the TARDIS, if he had been waiting for so long until he finally rang the right people on the right timeline. If it was, then she could already feel another wound being sent to her human heart. "How long has it been since you last saw me?" she asked, looking up into his eyes and noticing something change in his eyes. They were guarded, just like the Doctor's had been when he'd been talking on the phone. "We visit you, don't we?"

Rory looked at his wife, or his ex-wife. He wasn't sure what to call her. Though he didn't like it, he was going to have to lie to her. He tried to tell himself that it wasn't bad seeing as it was _her_ that had promised not to tell her past self or the Doctor _anything_. "You visit me," he lied, lips turning up and hoping that it didn't look as fake as it felt.

Amy felt a bit of weight lift from her shoulders. "Good," she smiled back, patting him on the shoulder before breaking out of the embrace. She put her left hand on her hip and looked at the Doctor and Rory, her boys. "So, what are we doing here?"

"I told you," the Doctor replied, hands in his pockets, but his eyes were on Rory, "Reliving past glories."

"Remember when we saw each other up on the hill?" Rory asked, rushing to explain the point of the trip, "Well, I've been planning to take a trip out here to go and see us. That's why I called. It was you and I together up there, and I- I didn't want to go alone." Yes, he had been planning for this day since the day Amy permanently left his world. Rory knew he was lucky that he was getting this day, getting this extra time with her. Helen didn't exactly know why he was going to Wales, but she just smiled and asked if he needed help packing, wanting to know when he was coming back. Rory told her it'd only be for the weekend, that it was to see one of his old friends. Luckily, she trusted him and let him go. If it were Amy, she would have insisted on going.

"So, we're going to get to see past us?" Amy grinned, clapping her hands excitedly. She missed the old days and had completely forgotten about the future self she saw from a distance. "I can't wait to tel-"

"Nope," the Doctor interrupted, looking at the redhead, sternly, "Amy, you are _not_ allowed to talk to past you. Interfering with one's timeline is very dangerous."

"You've done it!" she pouted.

"Yeah, and I died, remember?"

"Spoil sport!"

"I'm not a spoil sport!" the Doctor argued, pointing his sonic screwdriver at her, "Excuse me if I like time to be in the right order and not all jumbled!"

"Oh, like we've never jumbled up time before," Amy snorted.

Rory looked at the pair, amused. He didn't realize just how much he had missed their banter. In the past, it used to make him feel like the third wheel that he already knew he was. It still had that same effect on him, but it didn't make him upset as it used to, just happy, happy that he had his two best friends back. "Will you two shut up for a minute?" Rory laughed, the two pairs of eyes turning back at him, "I found the spot that looks over the graveyard we parked at. The old us should be there any minute."

"Great," the Doctor said, before turning to Amy, "Why don't you walk ahead? I want to catch up with Roranicus over here."

Amy gave him a weird look. What did "catching up" entail? He wouldn't tell Rory about them, would he? A large part of her told her that that was a stupid thing to assume, though the Doctor _had _told Rory about their first kiss… Amy wasn't ready to say anything, that was for sure. And if that interfering Time Lord said a single word, he was going to get a kick in his backside.

When Amy didn't move, he rolled his eyes, "Oi, you got your 'hugging and missing' time, Pond. My turn."

Amy was about to say something a bit crude to that, but bit her tongue and turned around. She'd just ask Rory later. Even though it hadn't exactly worked the last time, Amy was sure she could convince him to get the information she wanted. "Fine. I don't know what you're both up to, but I'll find out. I always do."

"Why must we be up to something?" the Doctor asked, but she didn't grace him with a response. He was _always_ up to something and they all knew it. When Amy was a considerable distance away from the men, he turned to Rory. "You know what I want to talk to you about."

"Yeah," Rory sighed.

"Are you still with Helen?"

"Yeah," he smiled, faintly, remembering his wife. He really loved her and their growing family, "We're all great."

"And Amy's still dead in your timeline?" the Doctor continued.

"Yeah."

The Doctor clenched his jaw in frustration and he felt his two hearts practically stop. He may have saved Amy from Demon's Run, but there was still going to be another day when he wasn't going to reach her in time. "Rory, you have to tell me what happened," he ordered, both hearing the desperation in his voice, "You have to tell me so I can stop it."

"That's why I can't tell you," Rory murmured, sadness filling his old eyes. The Doctor often forgot just how old he was, older than himself. Beak-Nose was over 2,000 years old. "She told me that if I ever told you, you would try to stop it. And she said it _had_ to be that way. I've already said too much, Doctor!"

"_What_ way?" the Doctor cried, exasperated, ignoring Rory's protests to give him any more information on the matter, "Why would she not want me to save her? Why does she _want_ to die? This is _so_ like her!" Of course, it would be Amy that would make her own rescue so bloody difficult.

"Doctor, if I were you," Rory advised, tone soft, "I would stop worrying about the future. Treasure the time you have with her now. You don't know how lucky you are to have all this time with Amy, still."

The Doctor didn't like the sound of the idea. It sounded like giving up, and he would _not_ give up on saving Amy. He looked over at the redhead, who had turned to face the men and yelled at them to hurry up. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "So, you're just going to let her die?"

"I'm going to keep my promise," Rory replied, starting to walk away from the man in the bow tie and towards Amy. "Are you going to tell her?"

"No," the Doctor answered. He wasn't going to make Amy worry like that. Especially for nothing, because he _knew_ he would save her. "Is that all you're going to tell me?"

Rory paused, staring at his feet for a few seconds, trying to decide if he should give away more information than he already had. He looked back up at the Time Lord's green eyes, his mouth a straight line. "Stay away from Trenzalore for as long as you can, you hear me?" he finally said, "Stay the hell away from Trenzalore."

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	42. Goodbye Mr Pond

**Hello, all! So, to my reviewers, thanks! And, remember how I promised a certain scene...? Well, changed my mind. Sorry :P Decided I wasn't ready to take it there. Now, other readers who have no idea what I'm talking about! Feel included for this next announcement! THE NEXT CHAPTER IS THE LAST CHAPTER FOR THIS STORY. But stay subscribed to the story because when I post my first chapter for the sequel, I'll tell you through this one(: Or you can just subscribe to ME. Whichever. Just do it, because this story is FAR from over.**

**Now, let's get back to the story, shall we? Here's the second part of the trip back to Cwmtaff(: Some sad stuff happens but there's also some happy bits. So, don't feel too depressed! Remember! REVIEW=SNEAK PEEK. And... That's it. Other than the fact that I don't own Doctor Who... Maybe someday. One can dream, can't they? OKAY! Done talking. Sorry. I now give you full permission to read the chapter! ENJOY! :D**

Rory turned and ran up beside Amy, who gave him a smile and again called for the Doctor. The man in tweed stood there, trying to process Rory's words, not even hearing her voice. Trenzalore… He had heard that name before. Yes, it was Dorium who had said it. But what had he said? The Doctor tried his hardest to rack his brain for the words but came up empty. He needed to go back to the TARDIS. Rory and Amy were already farther ahead and the Doctor could hear the familiar sound of his time machine's engines, though it wasn't _his_. It was the one from the past. Yes, the past him and the two Ponds had just landed in Cwmtaff in the year of 2010, completely unaware of the cracks in the universe, the true identity of River Song, and the Silence.

Amy squealed when she heard the screeching of the TARDIS, looking back for the Doctor but finding the spot he once occupied to be empty. Where had that old man run off to _now_? She sighed, looking a bit bent of shape. "Now where's he gone?" she whined, "He's going to miss it if he doesn't get a move on!"

"I don't think he's going to see it, Amy," Rory said as they stopped walking, both remembering how they had looked from the other side. They both realized that the Doctor wasn't with them all that time ago. It had just been the two of them, Rory and Amy.

"Oh, look! Rory! It's us!" she cried, excitedly, forgetting all about it when she saw the three of them walk out of the TARDIS. Amy watched her head pop out with Rory's, noticing the cloudy climate and the chill hitting her bare legs as the Doctor burst out "Behold… RIO!" She watched the confusion muddle all their faces, including the Time Lord's. Oh, this was just too good. "God, I looked great that day!" she said upon observing her outfit that she had to remind everyone _was for Rio_.

Rory laughed, watching as past Amy pointed the two out. "Wave!" he said, turning to look at Amy for a quick second, her excited grin matching his. He missed that grin, that excited look of adventure she used to give him before the TARDIS jetted off somewhere new.

The pair waved, watching the past Doctor peer through binoculars at them. Past Amy and Rory glanced up at them with a new look of excitement that matched that of their future selves, realizing who they were. She remembered this part, seeing her future self, except she wasn't as happy on that end as she was now. It had just reminded her that she was going to have to leave the Doctor and the TARDIS someday. Little did she know that she wasn't going to have to leave any of it. Amy's grin got even wider. Oh, silly past Amy. If only she knew…

The three figures in the graveyard waved back, and Rory suddenly remembered Amy's statement from that day. "I remember that look on your face when you thought you were really going to be stuck with me for ten more years," Rory joked.

"Oh, shut up," Amy replied with a nudge, "I didn't mean it like that."

"Sort of weird now. If only they knew what's really happened." He was having the same feeling as Amy, looking down at his past self, even looking at the Amy and Doctor that had come to visit present him. They knew so little as well. Rory continued to look at the three down by the cemetery as the Doctor took notice of the big mining thing, dragging Amy along with him while Rory went back to the TARDIS to put back her engagement ring before she lost it. He remembered the little conversation they were having, about coming back from all the adventures, becoming the kissogram and nurse that they were before the Doctor came and picked them up. Rory remembered the look on her face, the worry and uncertainty. It was memories like this that reminded him why Amy letting him go wasn't so surprising. "I mean, look at me. Daft to it all."

"What do you mean?" Amy asked, turning to look at Rory. He sure was daft about a lot of things back then, always blinded by his insecurities. He didn't answer. Amy turned the rest of her body. "Rory, how long has it been since you last saw me?"

Rory dodged the question, answering it with a white lie of sorts. Actually, it wasn't even a lie. It was just an answer that lacked details and could be misconstrued due to the arrangement of words. "It's been a year since the TARDIS turned up."

"And you just wait for me?" Amy didn't want that. She had wanted him to move on. "You haven't gotten a girlfriend or anything?"

"I'm married, actually," he admitted, awkwardly, "To Helen. You remember her?"

Despite the strange twinge of jealousy, Amy smiled. She was just used to being the only woman in Rory's life. "Helen always fancied you," she said, "I think you guys will be good together. She won't push you around as much as me. You are happy, aren't you?" It _was_ a bit of an awkward conversation, but Amy wanted to know that her best friend was living his own life, that he would end up just as happy as she was on the TARDIS.

"Completely," Rory smiled, and Amy could see that he really meant it, "We've got a daughter too, Lily, and one on the way." The redhead hugged Rory, so happy for him, so very pleased that he was getting the life he had always wanted. Rory had gotten his dreams of a small town doctor with a loving wife, surrounded by his children. When the two parted, Rory looked into Amy's brown eyes. "And I don't even have to ask with you. You're happy with him, aren't you?"

Amy inhaled, sharply. She could tell from the knowing look the man was giving her that he was implying much more than just a simple friendship. "What did the Doctor tell you exactly?"

"Nothing," Rory chuckled, "Not yet, at least. No, I can see it in you two. You're together, aren't you? Now that your old husband's out of the way?"

"Rory-"

"I didn't mean it like that," he explained, "I'm fine. I moved on. I honestly didn't see it until it was already too late to be angry. I always kind of knew there was something more between you two, but I should have accepted it and moved out of the way a long time ago."

"We haven- I mean, it's-" Amy stammered, rushing to explain, "Rory, I'm sorry."

"Don't," Rory said, firmly, "I'm happy, Amy. Really, I am. This is what I always wanted. It's always been the Doctor and you. Don't let the past me get in the way. I'll find my own happy ending in good time."

"I just feel like I ruined everything," she sighed, "I mean, we still haven't even found Melody."

"You're still looking for her? Amy, don't." He decided to tell her a little something else about his past and her future. "You'll see her again, but it'll be when you least expect it. No amount of finding on your part is going to help you get our daughter back. _She'll_ find _you_."

"Hey, Ponds!" The two turned around to see the Doctor waving them down. Yes, he had just finished doing a little research on Trenzalore. He remembered what Dorium said now. _On the fields of Trenzalore, at the fall of the Eleventh, when no living creature can speak falsely or fail to give answer, a question will be asked. A question that must never, ever be answered__..__._ _The First Question, the oldest question in the Universe, hidden in plain sight… Doctor Who? _He still didn't know what it all meant and how it would lead to Amy's death, if that was what Rory was getting at. But the Doctor put on a happy face for his friends, not revealing a single thing that was going on in his mind.

"You missed it!" Amy shouted back, grinning. She needed this trip. Rory knew and accepted them and she was promised that she would reunite with her daughter. Amy didn't feel so guilty about their relationship anymore.

"Yeah, well," the Doctor shrugged, "You know I don't like repeats! You humans… So nostalgic!"

"That's what you said last time!" Amy laughed.

"That's because it's true!" he replied, and she could hear the laughter in how own voice. "So, TARDIS? Rory, need a ride home?"

"That'd be great," Rory replied, running alongside Amy to catch up with the Time Lord. He knew that they would have to leave at some point, but he hoped that maybe they could stay just a little longer. He really did miss his friends.

_UPPER LEADWORTH, 2020_

"Are you sure you don't want to come in for dinner?" Rory asked for the fourth time. It was raining hard and the three were absolutely drenched as they stood out by the front of Rory's home, saying their goodbyes. He knew this was the last time he would see them and thanked God that the rain was disguising some of his tears as raindrops.

"Yeah, I think I'll pass on that one," Amy answered, "I don't even want to imagine the look on her face when she sees your first wife, that you never technically divorced, walk in the door with you and some strange man wearing that ridiculous thing around his neck."

"Hey! Bow ties are cool," the Doctor replied, giving Amy a look that said _she_ was the ridiculous one, "If anything, she'll be super impressed with the cool gear and insist that her husband, here, follow my example."

Amy and Rory both rolled their eyes in unison, glancing at each other with humor in their eyes. "Fine," Rory said, knowing they weren't going to change their mind. He had been asking since they first got back on the TARDIS, the blue box he hadn't been in for _years_, "I guess this is goodbye then."

He threw his arms around Amy, who could feel his heavy breaths. She knew he was trying to hold back tears, and that thought alone made her own eyes prick up. "Hey, Stupid Face," she sniffled, slightly, trying to discreetly wipe a tear by brushing her face against the cloth of his shirt, "Stop with all the sad stuff, yeah? This isn't going to be the last time we'll see each other." Amy looked back up at Rory, noticing the glassiness of his eyes. She gave him a determined smile. "You're not getting rid of me that easy, Williams."

Rory didn't respond, not strong enough to tell a lie. Amy continued looking at him with that smile that was supposed to cheer him up, giving him a kiss on the forehead that would bring him comfort for the days when his two friends wouldn't be around. It was a gesture between her and the Doctor, though, and it felt a little odd. Even the Doctor noticed.

"Goodbye, Rory," the Doctor smiled, but it was filled with the same amount of grief that he had. Maybe he knew that this was going to be the last time as well. Rory wondered which one he preferred, which one caused him less grief: the clueless Amy or the Doctor, who knew everything as always? They shook hands, staring straight into each other's eyes. "I know we got off to a bit of a rocky start, but you were a great companion. You're a great man and I wish the best for you."

"And you, Doctor." They both knew the Time Lord wouldn't, though. He had something so huge coming up in his future. The Time Lord nodded, before turning to Amy and taking her hand in his. They both looked back at their friend, who gave them a sad smile in return. "I better get going before I catch a cold or something."

"Us too," Amy agreed, really wishing this didn't seem sad. She'd come visit him again, she knew. Of course, she knew a little bit about how he felt. Waiting for someone to come back to you, giving up hope the second before they come back… Every time the Doctor had left her, Amy feared it'd be the last time she ever saw him. "See you soon, Rory."

"Yeah… See you soon, Amy." Rory turned around then, feeling the sobs start to climb their way up his throat, to burst out of his mouth and leave him crying like he had so many years ago. He wished he could say something monumental, something important, the last words of the Last Centurion to his best friends. But he had already said his say almost ten years ago.

"Oi, Rory!" Amy shouted, and the man turned his head. She grinned, "If your baby's a girl, I expect to come to back to see a little Amy."

Rory smiled, but it was so melancholy. Oh, he was going to miss her. He could already feel the part of his heart that held his love for Amy ache and re-tear. Goodbye was hard enough the first and second time. "Will do," he agreed, "But only because you both name your son after me."

Rory watched as the two both widened their eyes, staring at him, then turned to the other. The Doctor opened his mouth to speak to Amy, holding a finger up, but shut it, unsure of what to say exactly. Amy's eyes were so wide, they were probably on the verge of popping out of her skull. Finally, something that rendered Amy Pond speechless. Rory watched with pure amusement, before saying moments later, "I was just kidding, you know."

The Doctor and Amy exhaled, relieved and smiling at one another awkwardly, before turning to Rory with a fierce glare. Yes, they were perfect for one another, and Rory should have seen it earlier. But their relationship was also plagued with death and sadness, making him look with pity at the two. The Doctor seemed to catch it, looking down at his own two feet. The human took one last look at the two before running into the house, storing the picture in his memory forever. He wanted to turn around and help them, tell them everything, but he had promised. And Rory wouldn't break it. The last thought that he had before walking into the door of his warm home that smelled of roasted chicken and potatoes was that it was finally over. The huge part of his life, the TARDIS, Amy, the Doctor, travelling through space and time… It was all over now. His life as Mr. Pond had officially come to an end.

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	43. To Love And Be Loved Completely

**So... I wasn't going to post this until tomorrow or something, but then the news came out about the new companion and Amy and Rory leaving with the Weeping Angels and possible death and stuff... And now I just want to cry. Forever and ever! Poor Eleven/Amy... My original pairing... They're headed down a dark path! T_T Hence why I'm posting. I'm going to pretend that what I wrote is really what happened! Except I just remembered that mine kind of talks about Amy dying... Ah, well. The Doctor and her still got together. Sorry about the rant sort of thing. It's just that I'm so new to this fandom and I got really attached to the Ponds and was totally unprepared for their departure BECAUSE I HATE CHANGE!): Who knows, though? Maybe I'll like the next companion. The actress seems pretty nice.. She's just not Karen Gillan. (trying not to judge. *sigh*) Okay. Done with talking about depressing stuff. Moving onto the story!**

**So, here it is! SEXUAL CONTENT. But I don't think it's "M-rated" worthy. It's the closest I've ever gotten to one of these scenes, so sorry if it sucks! Also, on the good side, this isn't the last chapter. I think I still have one more in me! Remember two things, as well. Firstly, I own none of this, obviously, or else... Never mind. NOT. JUDGING. Secondly, review=sneak peek(: ENJOY!**

As the TARDIS drifted through space on auto-pilot, the Doctor sat in a comfy loveseat, watching the reflection of the pool water hit the "J" section of the books. One hand rested on the arm of the chair, the other gently rubbing at his temple. He was being faced with two options. Either the Doctor could take Amy back to the past Rory and leave her to settle with him, not returning to her for a few years, and even then just for a brief visit, or he could let her stay. But letting Amy stay meant that she was in so much danger. The Silence would be after him, of course, and they'd used the woman as bait more than once. _She's not exactly safe without me, though_, the Doctor thought to himself, _Every time I've left her, something bad has happened anyways. If she stays here, I can at least be a bit better at alien security._ _But am I just thinking selfishly?_ The decision was becoming hard, the Time Lord not being able to keep his feelings out of the way. He sighed, exasperated.

"What?" Amy asked from the doorway, making him jump. He turned to see her in her nightie, making her way towards the loveseat. She plopped down next to him, resting her knees up on her chin and turned to face the Doctor. "What's going on inside that massive head now?"

"Nothing," he lied, "I just- It's always a bit hard for me… When companions leave. And Rory, well, he was a good one." That wasn't a lie. The only false part was that that wasn't what was making him look so worried and wasn't what was mainly occupying his mind. At least not until now. "You'd think after 908 years of this, I'd be used to it. But it's different every time. The pain is new and fresh."

"It's not like we're not going to see each other again," she said, trying to console the Doctor, "I don't know why you and Rory are being so dramatic about it. We're in a time machine! We can see him whenever we want and it'll have only been 10 minutes for him."

"We can't always be sure of that, can we?" the Doctor asked, tone slightly angry. It wasn't that he was angry with Amy. He was angry with himself. He was angry for leaving her behind all those years ago, for leaving her once again when he went off to Lake Silencio, and maybe a little angry that he might have to leave her again. "You of all people should know that sometimes… Well, sometimes things happen! Sometimes, five minutes turn into twelve years."

"What's wrong, Doctor?" He was off on one of his rants, self-loathing dripping from every single word, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine-"

"Don't lie," she interrupted, "I hate it when you lie to me, even if you think it's for my own good. I'm your best friend. So, tell me. What's wrong?" Amy wondered if it was the Dream Lord that was bothering him again. She knew he had never left the Doctor, but he never seemed to say anything about it. Sometimes, she could see it, though. She could see the hate for himself when a life was taken during one of their adventures, when he was forced to make a choice that resulted in unhappiness for others.

The Doctor turned to meet her brown eyes that were eagerly seeking his and he could feel her trying to channel in warmth and comfort. She had changed her position and was now sitting right next to him, one hand around his arm, the other holding his hand. "Amelia Pond," he began, taking a breath before he went on. He knew that this was decision he couldn't make. He had tried for the past hour since they left Rory back at his home in Upper Leadworth. It was a choice Amy was going to have to make. "Amelia Pond, I am giving you one last chance to leave here. I can have you back with the Rory from your time in a matter of minutes."

"Doctor-"

"Think seriously about this," he ordered, "You can't just let what we've been doing for the past few weeks interfere. You have to think about the life you're giving up and the possibility that you could possibly die tomorrow, or the day after that, or maybe in a few hours from now on another adventure. You have to remember that I might not be there every time."

"I thought we were past this," Amy replied with a little sigh, "Doctor, I'm here to stay. I don't care about any of that. I never have."

"I just don't know what I'll do if things end badly," the Time Lord murmured, knowing his eyes were starting to glisten.

"They're not," she assured him, planting a kiss on his cheek, then his other, then his nose, his chin, and finally, the Doctor's lips. He didn't resist, not at all, but pulled her in. He needed Amy, the warmth of her body around his, the feel of her fingers running through his hair and over his chest. He needed to feel her solitary heart beat next to both of his. He needed the feel of her red hair tickling his face, her soft lips moving with his. It was all such a comfort, more than anyone else could give the Doctor.

Amy noticed something was different about this kiss from the get go. The way he was kissing her, one moment practically eating her up, like he couldn't get enough, the next going agonizingly slow, like he was committing every piece of it to memory. The Doctor's hands were roaming far more than they usually did and he sure wasn't stopping hers from doing the same. Before long, she had shifted onto his lap, both hands clamped securely on his shoulders as she shoved the tweed jacket off of him.

"Doctor," she whispered, the only audible thing in the room being their heavy breathing, the rustling of their clothes, and the sound of the water, "Right about now is when you stop me and tell me I'm much too human for my own good."

"Do you want me to stop you?" the Doctor asked in return, looking back up at her. There was a nagging voice in the back of his head that told him she was right. He was _supposed_ to tell her to stop, but he didn't want to. He tried not to blame it on the fact that it was because Rory had told him how little of time he might possibly have with Amy. He also tried not to think this was somewhat related to a brief feeling of something along the lines of happiness when Rory had joked about them having a son. The Doctor had told Amy that kids weren't meant for the life they were living, and he truly believed that. Still, the idea was appealing, but it was impossible and totally illogical to dream about something like that.

Amy hesitated. She wasn't expecting that answer. Not at all. Was he seriously going to let her do this? Was he really going to let them take it this far? She kept expecting the Doctor to grab her hands and push her away, put as much distance between them before he thought about giving in. Like the night before her wedding with Rory. She had been dreaming about being with the Doctor like this since she was a teenager and read all those romantic stories about losing it to someone special. Of course, Amy's ship had already sailed since then, and in her imagination, it was always her Raggedy Man that had taken control of the situation. Little did she know how much of a child he was when it came to sex. "No," she finally said, looking at him with questioning eyes. He didn't respond, though, just gripped her hips harder and pulled her back into his lips.

She felt one of his hands move to her back to support her when suddenly, he was standing, lifting her off the love seat. Amy was about to ask what he was doing, but didn't really feel like breaking off the kiss, wrapping her legs around his waist. And once he started walking, she felt she was safe in assuming their next location. The redhead's world was spinning, maybe from lack of oxygen or maybe just from the fact that she was being carried to the Doctor's bedroom to be made passionate love to. She clung onto his neck and shoulders for dear life, afraid the dizziness would end up with her fainting or spilling from his arms and onto the TARDIS floor.

As for the Doctor, his whole body was practically on fire, every bit of him absolutely terrified and nervous. He felt like a teenage boy about to do it for the first time, though that was hardly the case. He was 908 years old, of course, and had had children and grandchildren. But it was a different body. The last time he had done something like this was during his tenth regeneration with Queen Elizabeth I. This body hadn't done anything of the sort, much having to do with his childish approach to it all in this one. Then, of course it was tall and lanky and incredibly clumsy. How could the Doctor _not_ feel awkward?

Amy gasped as her head hit a door, a dark oak door, the Doctor pressing her against it as his large hand fumbled for the door knob. It was a bit hard seeing as he was also trying to keep the woman supported and the kiss continuing, but a few moments later, the door was open and the Time Lord continued their journey to the bed. Amy was laid gently on the soft, blue blankets, before the Doctor quickly sat up to take off his shoes. In the meantime, his companion decided to take a look around the room. The walls were the same shade of blue as hers, TARDIS blue. It was a little… Chaotic. There was a large desk in the corner of the room covered in mechanical parts and loose wires all tangled together. On his wall was a large window (disguised as a mirror) and a mirror on the wall adjacent to it (disguised as a window). The rug was a thick gray that matched the blue and gray bedding. There were bow ties and thermals littering the floor, a closet overfilled with clothes, though Amy guessed it was bigger on the inside. She noticed a pair of red sneakers peeking out at the bottom, a leather jacket, a scarf dangling from a hanger, a velvet smoking coat, and was that a Panama hat up on that shelf? Before Amy could make a smart comment about it, something else, something lying on the pillow next to her, caught her attention.

"Sorry," the Doctor apologized, returning to the bed, "The laces were a bit tricky. That's the trouble with double-knotting." He looked up to meet Amy's eyes, expecting to see her lips quirk up into a clever smile, but he instead saw her faced to the left, brow furrowing as she examined what was in her hands. "Oh."

"How long have you had this?" Amy asked, a deep blush creeping up to her cheeks.

"Not very long," he answered, a bit sheepishly. He watched her run a finger through the brown yarn of the Raggedy Doctor doll's hair. The Doctor _may_ have taken it with him after that night he had spent in Amy's bed. He had poked fun at himself a little, seeing as he wasn't one for stuffed animals, but he just couldn't help but take it. He had meant to put it back before she noticed…

"I thought I hid it!"

"Yeah… And I found it."

"But it was in my room! On my bed! Underneath a massive mountain of others," the woman pointed out, turning to look at him with narrowed eyes, "What were you doing in my room?"

"What? Nothing!"

"Then why did your voice get so high?" she challenged, raising an eyebrow. The Doctor didn't respond, just shifting his sight to a nearby pillow to ignore her angry expression. Amy groaned, putting the doll back down and covering her eyes with her forearm, "This is _so_ embarrassing!"

The Time Lord leaned on his hands, hovering over Amy's body. "Hey, Pond. I like the doll," he said with a soft smirk, "I think it might even look a bit better than the original." He hoped compliments would make her a little less upset that he had gone into her room and taken it.

Amy moved her arm, opening her eyes. "Oh, shut up," she said, but she was smiling, "If you ever mention this to anyone-"

She wasn't able to finish her threat, the Doctor cutting her off early and the pair smiled against each other's lips. Amy could feel his suspenders dangling off the side, tickling her bare thighs as the hem of her nightie was raised higher and higher. Higher until it was completely over her head. She heard the Doctor's quick intake of breath at the sight of her milky skin as she unbuttoned his shirt with a simple glide of the fingers. When Amy realized she had to take the bow tie off, her hands came to a halt. The Doctor noticed, looking down with amusement. "You're finally getting what you wanted," he chuckled, "To rip my bow tie off of me."

Amy laughed, carefully taking it off and throwing it to the side before he shrugged his shirt off onto the floor. The way her hands gingerly took care of the sacred neck wear was more of a turn on than the Doctor wanted to let on, though Amy knew from the second she got to the removal of his trousers. Within a few seconds, they were both completely free of their clothes, the Doctor gently pressed against Amy, putting most of his weight on his left hand that lay next to her fiery locks. His heart rate was tripling, completely nervous, just as much as Amy. She felt completely exposed, watching his reaction carefully. He ran his right hand over her body, not touching, but just barely above her skin, a trail of goose bumps following the trail of skin his palm hovered over. "Look at you, you beautiful thing," the Doctor whispered, drinking her all in. The Time Lord could feel the last of his defenses completely crumble, fully giving into the feelings he'd had for Amy since she kissed him in her bedroom. Had she never done that, the Doctor was sure he would have stayed oblivious not only to her feelings, but also to his. "You really are glorious, Pond."

She inhaled sharply, immediately feeling her nerves wash away. This was the Doctor. This was her best friend. And he made her feel like no one else, no offense to Rory. The way he was looking at her... Old eyes that had seen the entire universe were looking at her like she was something of a miracle, a rare phenomenon. Amy couldn't think of anything to say, not as romantic and sweet as his. No, Amy was never good at that stuff, and she sure wasn't going to top that. Still, she managed to spit out, "You're not so bad yourself, Mister. Now that we finally got rid of that bow tie."

Despite how stupid Amy thought she sounded, the Doctor thought it was perfect, so "Amy." He smiled and chuckled, before meeting her lips one last time, the last time before they crossed the point of no return. "Bow ties are cool and you know it, Amelia Pond," he quickly replied. The woman beneath him didn't answer and they both just sat in silence, feeling the warmth of the other's skin against them, eyes totally engrossed with the pair staring back at them like the lovesick idiots they had become. The Doctor gave her an expectant look a minute later, filled with worry and fear and happiness all at the same time before asking hesitantly, "Ready?"

He knew she would get his implications. This was her last chance to stop it all. After tonight, things will have gone too far to take anything back. But the woman just gave him a simple smile, trying to stay quiet before she opened her mouth and said something stupid again. She didn't want any clever, sarcastic remarks to ruin the rest of this moment and that was all she had in her arsenal. Amy nodded, kissing her Doctor on the nose. "Always."

He smiled back. "And that's reason number one..."

"What?"

The Doctor didn't answer immediately, getting too distracted as his green eyes gazed softly into her brown irises. A question he had always pondered towards the beginning of his realizations for his feelings for Amy was if she was different. Sometimes, the Doctor would say no. He had screwed her up, just like the others, came in and threw her life a curve ball, just like he did with the others. He had left her waiting, had broken her heart, and gave her a near-death experience on a bi-weekly basis. But then, the Doctor would notice something was quite different about his Amelia Pond. She was still there. Even Rose Tyler, who said she was going stay with the Doctor forever ended up leaving. But Amy never left him. She was always there, always waiting for her Raggedy Doctor to come and take her on the next adventure. No matter how mean he had been, no matter how long he'd gone... Amy Pond was different. If she wasn't, would she be there on the TARDIS with him? Would he really be having her in his bed, watching the light from the fake windows (or… Mirrors?) project their light onto her bare flesh? There was a reason why he had never done this. It wasn't like the Doctor was romantically interested in every single woman that boarded his time machine, and the few he did have feelings for... Well, they weren't there to stay. He could always tell what would make his companions leave, even if they promised forever. He hadn't ever wanted to get this close to someone again, just to lose them. But looking down at Amy, confidence and love showing in her own eyes, the Time Lord knew she was there to stay, and he was going to stop whatever threat came their way. Before he finally let himself love and be loved completely by Amy Pond, the Doctor leaned his forehead to hers, kissing her lips softly and whispered, "You are mad enough to actually mean that."

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	44. As If I Could Resist

**Hello, everyone!(: I'm sort of sad. Because this is the last chapter! This story is the first I've ever actually finished (though... Does it count as finished if there's a sequel involved?) and I don't know... It's like... It feels like my little baby! I want to thank everyone who's reviewed and stuck with me! I think I've really changed as a writer since I started out with this and it's all because you guys and your opinions and compliments and ideas! So, again... Thanks! I really appreciate it! **

**So, here it is, everyone! The last chapter! Hopefully, I didn't screw the ending up too bad :P I'll post on this story, notifying everyone that the sequel is up whenever I post it. I think I might just take like... A week or two. Just to brainstorm and stuff and write out the first couple chapters. Honestly, I love updating, so I'll probably have something up in a week :P Oh, and I will still give a sneak peek to the next story to those who review(: Okay. That's the end! Enjoy the chapter!**

Images of that night flickered through the Time Lord's mind. Red hair splayed out on the pillows, surrounding her like a fiery halo. The ghost of her breath on his neck as she whispered his name. Her slender, manicured fingers clenching the sheets of his mattress. The feel of her long limbs entwined with his. The happily tired smile she gave him when they lay next to each other, both bodies covered in a light sheen of sweat. That was two weeks ago, but the Doctor still couldn't get it out of his brain. And then of course, there was the morning after. Being a Time Lord, he didn't really need much sleep. That's why he usually ventured out to other planets while others who occupied the TARDIS were asleep. But as he lay there next to the naked Amy Pond, the Doctor couldn't think of anything more thrilling than to see the moment she woke up, to smile and kiss her and tell her "good morning," to get dressed with her and eat breakfast while staring at each other knowingly. They both knew the other was replaying the night before in their head. No, the old man couldn't think of a single moment more important than the minute Amy woke up in his bed for the first time.

"Doctor!" Amy screamed, breaking the Time Lord from his train of thought and he had to blink a few times to remember exactly where he was. Right. It was the 43rd century on a planet called Proonatha about three hundred light years away from the planet Earth. The race was mainly humanoid, though their skin had a blue tint to it and their eyes came in different colors like yellow, purple, silver, pink, and black. The Doctor had picked this place, claiming that the Proonathian summer festivals during the 43rd century were absolutely amazing and beautiful and just a blast. What he had forgotten was some of the traditions and rituals.

"Amy?" he called back, nervously. How had he let himself get distracted? The Time Lord turned around, looking through crowds that surrounded him. It was a very big celebration after all. Everybody who was anybody would be there, but the Doctor couldn't see anything over the huge mass of people. "Amy!"

"Doctor!" He snapped his neck ninety degrees to the left, looking in the direction of where her voice had come from. Then, he saw a flash of red hair. Amy was hurled over the shoulder of a burly Proonathian man, being taken to the big stage in the middle of the festival. There was a well, filled with something the Doctor couldn't see just yet, but he saw that the Aesithis, the sacred animal of Proonatha, sitting right next to it. It was a giant, slug-like creature with a gray tint, veins clearly visible. It's eyes were beady and black and it had tubes inserted into its body. He knew that the creature was in no pain. Though the people here were a little less civilized than Amy was used to in her time, the Aesithis was very important, told to somehow speak to the gods the people on that planet worshipped.

The Doctor pushed through the crowds of people, sonic screwdriver out and ready to take care of business. Before he could make it to the stage, the burly guard carrying Amy stopped in front of the basin. He called out to the crowd. "Fellow people!" he said, voice booming. He was actually talking in a series of sounds, but thank goodness the TARDIS translated everything. "It is time for the celebration to begin! Here is our first volunteer!"

Amy kicked and punched. "'Volunteer'? I don't think that's the right word for it, Mister!" she yelled with gritted teeth. The crowd just laughed, knowing that there were really no volunteers to this. They never really needed one anyways. There was always a woman that wanted to go up and be the first one in. "Doctor! A rescue would be really nice right now!"

The Doctor continued pushing, but he was too late. He looked up just as the man discarded the redhead into the hole next to their sacred slug. "No! Amy!" he shouted, trying to get there even faster, even more determined. He didn't know what was in there, if she was safe in there or not. He didn't seem to remember there being live sacrifices at this time in history, but time was always being rewritten.

"Oh my God!" Amy's voice echoed off the walls of it, her hands reaching up to grab at the rim, "Get me out of this! NOW!"

The Time Lord finally reached the stage, running to the well, but the burly alien blocked his path. "Females only."

"That's my friend in there," the Doctor explained, sonic pointed threateningly as music began to play again, the crowd cheering as loudly as they watched Amy try to make her way out, "Getting in my way is a very, _very_ stupid thing to do. Trust me. Now, tell me what is in there."

The Proonathian shrugged nonchalantly, "It's the secretion of our most beloved Aesithis. It brings good luck and fertility to all females for the summer season."

The Doctor peered over into the hole that went six feet into the ground, seeing Amy in her mini skirt, totally drenched in Aesithis goo. He scanned the liquid with his screwdriver, making sure it really was nothing bad. It wasn't. "Amy, calm down," he called down to her, meeting her angry, brown eyes, "It's completely harmless."

"It's completely disgusting!"

"Quiet," he chuckled, "You're insulting their centuries-old tradition."

"And they ruined my boots," Amy retorted, eyebrow raised, "I think we're even. Now, are you going to let me out or what?"

"Because you asked so nicely?" he teased, "Maybe I should let you stay in there. You can't really cause any more trouble in a pit of slime."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't!" the Doctor grinned, holding out a hand.

Amy folded her arms together, eyeing him with slight irritation before sighing and grabbing his hand. "Hey, Doctor?" she said, suddenly, hands squelching as they squeezed.

"Yeah?"

Amy grinned. "Gotcha." Before the Doctor could ask what she meant, he felt Amy pull on his arm. Not expecting it, he felt his body lunge forward. The last things he heard before going under was Amy's victorious, wicked laugh along with a disapproving gasp from the crowd surrounding them. Then, the Doctor fell headfirst into the four feet of goo. When he resurfaced, he couldn't help but laugh and dunk her red hair, even though it was completely disgusting and his bow tie and tweed jacket were probably permanently ruined. Even though, he knew they had just broken a major rule by having a man in the Aesithis secretions and he could already hear the angry shouts of the guards. All the Doctor could focus on was that big smile on Amy's face that was probably mirroring his own.

_ FOUR SHOWERS LATER…_

"We are never going there again," Amy said, the sound of bare feet padding down the hallway as she burst into the Doctor's room in a fuzzy pink robe and drying her wet hair with a towel. Actually, in the couple of weeks since that one night, it'd sort of become _their_ room. Amy moved some of her own stuff- like some decorations and clothes- in and slept in there every night. She had gotten the Doctor to organize his room a bit better, though the desk with the gadgets remained untouched. She didn't even want to know where they came from, hoping to God it wasn't something vital from the TARDIS that he was trying to "fix." The closet had been more organized after a day that she had set aside to work on it. There had been many jokes, all to the Doctor's expense as Amy pulled out article of clothing after article of clothing.

She had the Doctor put the leather jacket back on, but it hung off his thin frame so horribly. He tried telling her that his ninth incarnation was much more "action hero"-y and could pull it off, but Amy just shook her head. And then there was the rainbow frock coat that Amy said she would never truly get over, the jacket with an old piece of celery on the lapel, a pull-over with blue zigzags and red question marks, and baggy tweed pants. "The bow tie is really starting to not look that bad compared to some of your other fashion choices," she had teased, while the Doctor rolled his eyes, trying to hide the embarrassed blush.

"Why? It was fun until we got banished from the planet!" he protested, trailing after the redhead with a towel around his neck to stop the dripping of water on his shirt.

"Maybe because I don't particularly enjoy being _dumped in a vat of slug slime_?" Amy gave a critical look towards the Doctor before turning around to the dresser to find clothes to slip on. "Besides, we were banished, remember?" she added over her shoulder.

"That's never stopped me before." After the Doctor fell in and had his little moment of fun with Amy, they were immediately fished out of the basin and escorted, in wooden handcuff-like restraints, out of the festival, receiving harsh glares from everyone they passed. Getting away was a bit tricky, seeing as the sonic screwdriver still didn't have a setting for wood to get their hands free, but the two joined forces, Amy using her wiles to distract the guards that were taking them away to the jail, while the Doctor used his amazing skills at pick-pocketing to grab the key off the hook of his belt. They spent maybe… Ten minutes in the Proonathian jail cell before they made another grand escape, being chased all the way to the TARDIS. "And you're the one that offended them! They were just trying to include you."

"Should've given me one of those 'I went to Proonatha and all I got was this stupid t-shirt' shirts," Amy replied, grabbing another denim skirt and pair of tights and throwing them on the bed, "Or a key chain or something. _Anything_ other than _that_!"

"It was for good luck and fertility," the Doctor argued, rushing to the defense of the initial hospitality of the Proonathians, "Really, being the first girl to give it a go is an honor on that planet!"

Amy turned, suddenly. "Why would I need to be fertile?" She really didn't mean it, but the redhead still never got tired of watching her Time Lord squirm with discomfort. Even watching it then, as his body went still and his jaw tightened, his fingers twisting with one another nervously, Amy had to put so much power into holding her laughter in.

"Uh… No," he stammered, trying to figure out a way to explain what he meant but also change the subject at the same time.

"Are you trying to tell me something, Doctor?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"What? No! Of course not! You know what I meant!"

"Do I? Hm. I think you mean I get to pick the next place. I can't be sure, Doctor. I'm just getting so distracted with this growing list of baby names in my head…"

"Oh, shut up!" the Doctor scowled, realizing what Amy was doing.

Amy flashed a smile before grabbing a purple top and heading over to the bed as the Doctor slipped on his tweed jacket. She was finally happy, knowing that this was what she was going to do every day for the rest of her life. She loved knowing that she was going to wake up every morning next to that mad man, run down corridors and unfamiliar paths on foreign planets or during foreign times. Amy loved knowing that she was getting everything she had ever dreamed of since she was a little girl and her Raggedy Doctor crashed into her aunt's old shed.

A moment later, the Doctor felt Amy's arms wrap around his waist. He turned to face her, instantly attacked by her lips. "I'm not letting you win this, Pond," he said, as their mouths parted and Amy starting kissing along his jawline. He really wanted to stand his ground on this matter, knowing that it was definitely unfair to be punished for Amy's actions. The softness of her robe against his hands as they clasped to her hips were far too enjoyable, though, and combined with the kisses, were making the Doctor struggle to keep his mind clear. "I- I mean it, Amy… I'm… Oh, stop! You know that… Ah!" Ever since Amy learned about the sensitive spot on the Time Lord's shoulder, she had been using it as a weapon of sorts. Like right at that moment, for instance. "_Fine_!" he gasped, a hand flying up to her red hair as she bit down, "You can pick! Just… One condition… Has to be… Amazing."

The redhead pecked the spot on his right shoulder, admiring the redness that was starting to set into his skin and fixed his shirt and jacket to cover it back up. She then glanced up at the Doctor through heavy eyelashes, a teasing smile on her face as she studied the nervous, annoyed, impatient, slightly lustful look he was giving her. "Have to say, Doctor," Amy sighed, wincing with fake pity, "That was way easier than I thought it was going to be."

The Time Lord rolled his eyes, wrapping his arms around Amy and pulling her tighter to him. He kissed her nose before touching their foreheads to one another, both lips turning up into a grin. "Amelia Pond… The girl who didn't make sense," the Doctor murmured, "As if I could resist."

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	45. Author's Note

**Hi, guys! Guess what I just did? I POSTED THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SEQUEL! It's called "The Girl Who Dreamed of the Stars." If you didn't subscribe to me, then go on my profile and it should be up! Sorry it took so long. :P I got hit with writer's block. And yeah... Just want to say thanks again to all that reviewed and stuck with me throughout it all. It started out as a point I was making to a friend, though he didn't know it at the time. I wanted to prove that there was just loads of Eleven/Amy potential in EVERY episode that I saw and that they were meant to be. (He's an Eleven/River fan) **

**But then it sort of became something that I did for myself, because I was angry at the writers. ^_^ And then it became something that I did for you guys as time progressed and I was getting more feedback and reviews and compliments and pointers. Everyone that I've talked to about this story has somehow impacted my writing and the way I now tell stories, so I just want to say thanks! **

**I'm going to mainly dedicate this story to Christian, my Eleven/River friend. I always wanted him to read this, but I was so nervous that it wouldn't quite reach his standards, seeing as I've only seen 4 1/2 of the series out of 6 and I knew that if anyone out of my friends could point out mistakes it'd be him. But he's also the one that made me try really hard. For that exact reason. He ended up reading this, dying half way through at how "canon but not canon at all" my story was and how I treated River, but he ended up finishing it. And showered me with compliments. So.. Thanks, Pretty Boy(: I promise to try to remember you when I'm famous. **

**That's about it! I guess I just really wanted to make a long A/N. And I had issues where I wanted my story to end chapter number-wise on a number divisible by 5. If you read through this all the way, then you must be bored. In which case, I must now point you into the direction of the sequel! Seriously, thanks to all who reviewed. Especially the ones that did it every chapter like HayleyPiper, ThexScribe, Amelia Greene, Lizzie83hp, the doctor and amy, lalavance, SilverTortoise, xStarPukex, Saphura, Kasserlena, and anyone who posted regularly that I missed! Honestly, you guys come up with some friggin' sweet reviews!(: Oh, and special shout out to **irishgirl686 for being my personal Spell Check! And... Ooh! Also, want to single out Marcus S. Lazarus for his SUPER long review and really helpful critique on my writing and the direction of my story! Same goes to Nicala Flamelle. I already told you how much I love review and how awesome it is that I was kinda what made you get an account on here!(:****

**Okay. Seriously done now. You may go read the sequel now. If you haven't left already and are STILL actually reading this. Peace out, homies(: This was fun! And I can't wait to do this all over again in the sequel! ENJOY!**


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